My story that doesn't have a name yet
by mistress tee
Summary: there's 17 Ch. please review! She is captive of something from her past unknown and kidnapped then sold into slavory. He's being held captive so to say. When fate brings them together... will they escape the evil that's holding them both? Will true love s


Prologue

Tiffany was sitting on the computer desk working on her homework, and looking on her e-mails. When she opened up her g-mail she saw that she had a new song sent to her by Caiti, her very best friend in the whole world. She laughed, thinking it was funny and how awesome that Caiti would send her a song that she wanted. The song she requested was Dust in the Wind by the group Kansas, and Caiti so generously downloaded it for her and then sent it to her. As she was typing away on the computer, her mom came into the kitchen, (which is where the computer they have is hooked up) but when she looked closer she saw that her mother's eye's looked puffy.  
"Mom, what's wrong?" Tiffany looked worriedly at her mother,  
"Oh Tiff…" New tears came to her mother's eyes as she paused to give Tiffany a hug.  
"Tiff, we found out this morning that… that your grandmother, my mom, died this morning in her sleep." Tiffany put her hand to her mouth, the tears now coming to her eyes. She saved her homework that she was doing on the computer, and turned off the song that she had only just begun to listen too. She took one last look at her mother, then walked slowly out the door and walked to the park. She couldn't help all the emotion that was coming to her. Her grandma, Grammy as she liked to be called, was her best friend in the family. She could go to her with all her problems. Of course she could go to Caiti, but she hadn't known Caiti for as long as she knew her Grammy, and so whenever she couldn't go to Caiti she'd go to her. Hardly knowing where her feet were taking her, she walked up to a swing and sat down in it, making her feet move her back and forth softly. Suddenly, her swing was pushed really high, when she stopped and got off the swing quickly, she turned around to see that Russell was the one who had pushed her. She smiled, but that quickly left her face as tears started to come back.  
"Tiff, what's wrong? What happened?" he said concern clearly written on his face. She looked into his deep ocean blue eyes, and knew he really was concerned with her.  
"My…my grammy died this morning."  
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Tiffany!" He said softly then gathered Tiffany in a hug and she hugged him back. Even though they weren't dating she was grateful for his concern. When she tried to pull back he wouldn't let her go very far, but just far enough to where he was able to look into her eyes. She knew he was about to kiss her, and she knew she would turn away, but before any of that could happen they heard someone. When they turned towards the sound, they couldn't really see who was their, because it was now dark outside, but when they heard the voice they shivered in fear.  
"Wow, we finally found you!" they heard some other guys laugh at this, and then before they could do anything the men surrounded them, and then put them unconscious.

Chapter 1

When Tiffany and Russell awoke, they found themselves in somewhere they weren't sure of. Although, Tiffany did had an idea as to where.   
"I…I think we're in a barn." She said a bit confused.  
"Why would they put us in a barn? I don't get what they want with us, it's really strange," Tiffany stood up, visibly shaking, but Russell not being able to see it because it was dark, except for the cracks in the barn. Russell felt for her. When he found her arm he pulled her into a tight hug. When they pulled back, she felt for the barn door. When she hit the handle, she tried tweaking it, but it wouldn't budge.  
"Gah, why are we in this place, what in the heck do they want with us?" Tiffany was now in hysteria, shaking so hard she was having trouble standing.  
"Calm down Tiff, it will be alright." Russell came up to her, only finding her so easily because the light was brighter by the door. He could feel her shaking, and grabbed her into another hug. She was crying now, and drowning Russell's shirt in tears.  
"Why me? Why couldn't it have been someone else? I just found out that my Grammy died, and now I've been kidnapped and have no clue where I am!"  
"Tiffany, calm down, that's all we can do right now. I promise I won't let any of those men hurt you." After a few minutes, Tiffany stopped shaking, but she was still crying a little when he let go of her.   
They stood there for a few minutes, Russell letting Tiffany recover her composure, and Tiffany trying not to remember her Grammy's funeral that she would never attend. Luckily her composure was recovered, because about two minutes later, they heard sounds of the men outside of the barn. They both backed up into the darkest corner of the barn where they thought not much light would be able to get them good. They were wrong. When the barn doors were opened, it filled the whole barn with the very bright sun, it was so bright Tiffany and Russell had to squint or cover there eyes just to see who had opened the door. Tiffany gasped; there was a scar on the guys' face that entered first. She knew that scar, had seen it when she was just a little younger.  
"I know you, but how, what your name? how do I know you?" the guy just laughed,  
"Maybe later when I come back for you, but for now, you'll see what will happen with ya." He left laughing, and then four of his thugs came in, grabbing them by the arms and taking them to a street full of people, and in one particular spot a crowd. They were hauled onto the stage one by one. The main guy talking put a hand on Tiffany's shoulder, and then shouted out to the people.  
"How much for the girl? She's in fine shape, and could do quite a bit of good work for ya! Can I get one hundred? One hundred for you sir? how about two? Two-hundred, anybody? Ah two-hundred, how about three? Ah good, three hundred, how about four? Three hundred going once, going twice,"  
"I'll give one thousand dollars for the girl!" a man in the very back shouted. Tiffany's jaw dropped. She knew exactly what was happening now, and as she glanced at Russell she knew he knew too. They were being sold into slavery.  
When she was taken down the stairs leading off the stage, she barely heard that Russell had been sold for eight hundred dollars to another guy (because all of the participants there placing money, were guys, the women were there just to support the men). Now Tiffany was getting scared. What would she do without Russell there to help her with her problems? How would she ever get through just being a slave? She had so many thoughts in her mind that they were becoming jumbled. A tear strolled down her face as her "master" took her along with him towards his truck, the one with hay sticking out of the back. Before they were able to make it to the truck, a young man approached them.  
"So pops, I see you found us a new slave." He had a handsome grin, but in a way it scared her. Behind him were two other girls, giggling at something the other said.  
"Yes son, I have found someone else. It cost me a lot of money for her, so you better behave around her." Hearing that made her even more scared than she already was and wondered what he would do to her. Soon her body started to shake, not because of being scared, but because of anger, wondering how this man could let his son to things to other slave girls. They started walking to the truck, the son walking on her right side, and the dad on her left holding a chain that was hooked onto her hands. She tried to walk fast to get away from the son, but it was no use. Every time she hurried the dad would pull on the chain and she'd turn around fast looking at them both, walking backwards a little and then turning around in the normal position of walking. They made her sit in between them in the truck, since there was only one row of seats. Sad enough for her, the son sat devilishly close to her, making her highly uncomfortable. She squirmed every once in a while when she felt he was way much too closer then he needed to be, but did pretty well on the way to the house without throwing up. She looked out the windows on each side of her, seeing that they were headed to her new "home" that looked like, to her, that it was in the middle of nowhere when in reality they were only 5 miles out. Every time she looked out the window on the son's side, he'd look and her and smile his handsome smile. She couldn't help that she liked guys with dirty blonde hair, which is what he has. But there was still something creepy about him.   
Finally, they were there. Climbing out of the tight squeeze of the truck, Tiffany took in the smell of the recently rained air. Looking around her, she saw that they had small farm, but the only animals were a few cows and horses. The son came around the side of the truck to the driver's side, where Tiffany had gotten out because of the chains on her hands that the dad was holding. Before they started to enter the house, the dad turned to her.  
"Now, before we enter the house, I'll need to know your name." His stare frightened her. Her plan was to be a silent slave, but she wasn't sure she could pull it off. She tried it anyway, just to see if they believed she couldn't talk.  
"Well girl, what's your name?" by this time he had shoved her closer, his frustration growing.  
"I know you can speak girl, the man I bought you from said you could, he also said you were a stubborn one. So I'd suggest you speak before you get a beating. I don't want to have to resort to that, but I will." She could tell that he really didn't want to do it, but she also saw he would keep his word. So she did what she thought best, she gave him a name other than hers.  
"It's Nikki." She said it softly but defiantly.  
"That's better, well than Nikki, what do you say we go in and meet the rest of the family huh? By the way, you shall call me Master Toger!" she followed Master Toger a little slower than walking right next to him, and the son just had to walk next to her. She made sure that whatever he said to her, she would not answer him. Looks like my stubbornness might be a good thing right now huh Grammy? She said to herself, trying not to smile, but failing. It quickly left her face when she saw the son of Master Toger looking at her with a gruesome grin, but her menacing glare at him, wiped that grin away.  
"Gosh, I never thought I'd have a slave who could do that to me." He said, the grin now back on his face.  
"I'm Logan, Master Logan to you." She refused to look at him, even acknowledge him in any way, she wanted him to know that she wasn't going to let him scare her, and by the look in his eyes, she guessed he was figuring it out. Finally, and to her relief, they entered the house. Master Toger shouted for his wife and kids to come and see what he brought home for them. Gosh he's making it sound like I'm a dog! Her face flushed with anger, especially when she heard Master Logan laughing. The mother and two younger kids entered the room, the kids laughing and playing sword fights.  
"Children, children please settle down." It took them a couple more minutes to quiet down, and when they did, Master Toger spoke again.  
"Lily, kids, meet our new slave, Nikki!" his hand pointed to her. Her face turned a cherry red, and the kids laughed at her.  
"Nikki, this is Mistress Toger, and the kids. You shall call the kids miss, and sir." He turned to Logan,  
"Now Logan, please take her to where she'll be staying." Logan nodded, took the chain that was hooked up to her hands from his father, and then led her upstairs. When they entered the attic, Tiffany's face filled with dread, all there was in the attic was a small desk, and a bed, with one blanket. While she was looking around the room Logan said,  
"This is just for the beginning; if you do well with your work my dad might consider moving you to a better room. But don't worry; I'll get you a warmer blanket." He smiled and then left the room after taking off the chains from her hands, but locking the door after it was shut. Sitting on the bed, she started to cry, the shock of being sold as a slave and the family she had to live with, made her sad. Not only that she still had the shock of her grandmother dieing, even thinking about her Grammy and family made her cry even harder. Although she didn't cry so loud that the family would hear her. Lying down on the bed she pulled the blanket over herself, than cried herself to sleep.  
A couple hours later, Tiffany woke up by a knock on her door, and then the door opening. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes yawning.  
"Well, I see you had a good nap huh?" she glared her eyes at Logan, who was the one who entered the room.  
"Sheesh, no need to be mad, I just came to tell you that you start working in half an hour. But first you need to wear this." He handed her a dress, but it was ragged and worn down. She lifted it up incredulously.  
"Well, put it on," Logan said. Tiffany rolled her eyes,  
"Leave, so I can get dressed," Logan seemed to have an embarrassed look on his face and then left. This is the weirdest family I've ever met; wouldn't they have made me work the second I got here? And why don't they treat me horribly? Of course there was that threat in the beginning. Hmmm… this is getting even more confusing. Oh Lord, Grammy, please help me through this, help mom and dad and Charlie know I'm ok. She felt the tears coming again, and quickly tried to regain her composure.  
"I wonder if they've sent word to the police yet." She said softly to herself. She looked at the dress, and shuddered,  
"Man, I hate wearing dresses, except for Sunday's of course." She decided to put the dress on over her regular clothes. Satisfied, she opened the door and was surprised to see that Logan was just about to open it.  
"Oh good, your dressed. Well, let's get downstairs, we have quite a few things for you to do." Tiffany sighed, and walked behind Logan down the stairs. She finally decided to take a good look in her surroundings. When they got downstairs she noticed that the kitchen was full of flower and lighthouse pictures. The living room had one big couch, it was white and from the looks of it, Tiffany assumed that it was probably really comfy. The carpet was also white, and she supposed that if she were to get dirty she wouldn't be aloud in the Living room, only the kitchen, because that had a wood floor, which is easy to keep clean. The walls were a light purple, which was really pretty, she couldn't understand how the attic was ugly and brown, when the rest was so beautiful. Sighing again, she followed Logan into the Kitchen, where she saw Master Toger; and there started her day of work. She was first told that she'd be waking up at 5:30 every morning to start breakfast. And then Mistress Toger and the kids would have things for her to do during the day. This first day was pretty easy for her. She had to clean the Kitchen, and then the kids' rooms. Except of course Logan's, they thought it best he did that himself, which Tiffany found it particularly weird. Later that night, making sure that nobody would be able to hear her, she kneeled down on her knees and prayed to her Heavenly Father that she'd be able to get through this, and then she went to bed, awaiting and dreading a little the next day.

Chapter 2

The next morning she was awoken by a knock on the door. Her first reaction to it was,  
"Five more minutes, and I swear I'll get up!" She turned around in her bed, her back facing the door. Suddenly, she leaped up in her bed, her hair disheveled, and realized that Logan had opened the door.  
"Ahem, you were supposed to be up an hour ago."  
"What?" She quickly unraveled the blanket from her legs and stood stalk still. Logan then began to laugh,  
"You'll get a break today, but this better not happen tomorrow." She looked at him amazed,  
"How am I supposed to get up that early tomorrow if I don't even have an alarm clock?"  
"Hmmm… good point, I'll wake you up then tomorrow." Tiffany suddenly got a little look of dread on her face,  
"Uh, could you have your dad wake me up instead?" The look he had on his face then was almost a sour puss face,  
"Why not me?" Tiffany was becoming a bit uncomfortable in trying to tell him she wasn't comfortable with that, but then decided that she shouldn't care what he thought.  
"Because I'm not comfortable around you. Now I have to go work, so leave me be." She walked past him and out the door, leaving him there with a confused look on his face.  
"Ah, there you are. Nikki we have some things we'd like you to get done." Tiffany did an inward sigh,  
"First, we need you to go feed and water the horses, and cows out back, than we need you to clean the fireplace. After that we'd like you to make our lunch and get the dishes done after. Finally we'll need you to go downstairs and clean it out. It's a wreck that we've never been able to get cleaned."  
"Yes, Master Toger." Tiffany said in a quiet voice. Went outside, found the food to feed the horses and cows with, and then turned on the hose to fill up the water for the animals. All this took about an hour, and by then the sun was out, although it was still chilly.   
"Man, why me? Why me?" she sighed again and then walked into the house, looking at the list she made of what she had to do next.  
"I guess it's off to clean the fireplace." She put the paper back into a pocket that she had sewn onto the dress the night before, and then walked in through the kitchen and to the fireplace that was in the fun room; which was right next to the living room. She crouched down and looked up into the fireplace, then came out coughing from how dusty and gross it was. Sighing once more she began to clean it up and make it look nice. About fifteen minutes later she heard laughing from the kitchen. It was getting louder and louder until, in popped Logan and his two friends.  
"Oh look, there she is now. Hey Nikki, these are my friends, Peter and Amy." Amy laughed again, and Tiffany became red for some reason she didn't know of. Her look soon became angry and she started to work on the fireplace again.  
"Hey, say hello back to them, like a good slave should. Otherwise you'll never know what hit ya." Logan slapped Peter's chest playfully, and they all started laughing.  
"Yes Master Logan," she then turned to his friends then said,  
"Pleased…" she paused seeming to get a look of grimace on her face,  
"Pleased to meet you," she said quietly then turned back to her work. They stayed in the room and kept talking; she knew it was about her, but tried to block everything out that they said but still growing red in the face again. Finally she turned around and stared at them, daring what she thought no slave would do in this kind of situation.  
"Please leave." she said her voice dangerously low.  
"Hmmm, looks like we got ourselves a situation here guys. Seems to me that this slave, likes to talk back. Well, I think we can take care of this don't you?" Peter and Amy both nodded there heads smiling.   
"Actually, I think we'll do it later, I've got to come up with something first." Logan's friends seemed to get a disappointed look on there faces but soon they all left, and Tiffany wiped the sweat off her face.  
"That was a close call. Too much of a close call, I've got to be better about this." She went back to cleaning the fireplace, humming to herself a primary song she learned a long time ago.  
"I love to see the Temple; I'm going there someday, to feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray. For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty, I'll prepare myself while I am young. This is my sacred duty." In what seemed like no time, she had finished the fireplace, and was now on to her next task.  
"Hmmm, what's next? Oh, I have to make lunch." She looked at the clock and saw that she had fifteen minutes till lunch, so decided to go get as cleaned up as she could possibly be. Ten minutes later she was in the kitchen making sandwiches for the small kids, come to think of it, I haven't even learned there names. Maybe I can ask them what they are. Finishing the sandwiches, she got out some junk food for snacks and made Strawberry Punch for them. She went to the kitchen window, opened it and yelled "Lunch is ready," then went back to cleaning up her mess, but leaving the window open because she liked the breeze. The next five minutes were a rush, they came running in, grabbed the food and drinks, then ran back outside to play with there friends. She stood there dazed, like she was expecting a thank you or at least some acknowledgement. But alas, there was none, so she went to her next task on her list.  
"Ok, I guess I got to do the dishes now…" she looked over at the sink and sighed with relief seeing that there wasn't much to do. Just for because, she cleaned up the rest of the kitchen too, which too longer than she expected because there were things on the table that she guessed the little kids had left. It was gross but she wanted them to know that no matter how bad it got, she wasn't going to let it get her down in the dumps, although sometimes it was hard not to. About six o'clock she was heading downstairs to get the basement cleaned up, and make that look nice, but when she got to the bottom the basement was worse off than the kitchen.  
"Goodness gracious, don't they teach there kids to clean up after themselves?" shaking her head in disgust, she began the long process of picking up molding plates, left over roast beef, and all the toys. She worked as fast as she could, wanting to get done so she could at least get six hours of sleep. But the more she worked the more she found that the room was piled with gross disgusting stuff. There big screen TV was so dusty she didn't think that they would even be able to see anything even if it was turned on. About five hours she was done with the mold infested basement, washed her hands for about five minutes with soap, and then started walking upstairs. Once she was at the top she realized that Master Toger was home looking in the fridge (because the stairs start from in the kitchen) and she came to attention, almost like she was in military school.  
"Ah good, your done with the basement." He said still looking in the fridge, and then said again.  
"You're going to have to go to the store tomorrow; we are almost out of everything now." She nodded, a bit dazed and her eyes sleepy.  
"Yes Master Toger," she added when she saw his look.  
"Ok Nikki, you may get your rest now."  
"Yes Master Toger. Thank you Master Toger." She walked out of the kitchen, then ran the rest of the way to her room. Changed out of the ragged dress, and closed her eyes; falling asleep the minute she had closed her eyes.

Chapter 3

During the night, she woke up from a horrible dream crying and shaking so bad she wasn't sure if she would be able to stand up to wash her face up. Praying, she found the strength she needed then stood up and walked to the bathroom, having a little trouble getting down the stairs. In the bathroom she turned on the sink and the cupped water in her hands, splashing it on her, shaking her out of shaking so violently. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw that she had slight bags under her eyes. Touching her face she said to herself,  
"What has become of my once happy face? I'm not happy anymore, I feel angry. And I want to know what they did with Russell!" she started sobbing a little bit in her hands, trying to muffle her crying so no one in the house would wake up. Once more she said to herself, now just at the slight cry,  
"Heavenly Father, please help me get through this. Please let Russell be ok, and let me go home sometime soon. I don't want to go through with this anymore, I didn't even know they still have slavery." Sighing a deep sigh she said one more thing.  
"And please help my family to feel peace in knowing that I'm ok, and to let them worry little." She looked at herself one more time and then left to fall back asleep in her room. Not knowing that Logan was listening to her in his room, for she didn't know she had walked into his bathroom.  
The next morning Master Toger knocked on her door and instantly she was awake, since the night before after she had woken up she wasn't able to sleep well the rest of the night.  
"Nikki, it's time for you to get up now. Be downstairs in five minutes." He shut the door, and was gone. Opening her eyes very slowly, Nikki groggily got out of bed. Putting on her ragged and now dirty dress, she slowly went down the stairs, yawing a couple times before she got there. Seeing that everyone was in the Kitchen, Nikki tried to mask her tiredness and went straight to fixing breakfast.  
"Mommy, I want some cheese eggs and toast," said the little sir,  
"Yeah, I want some bacon with it too," said little miss,  
"Alright children, why don't you just go tell the slave what you would like," they nodded and then ran over to Nikki shouting for joy, then telling her what they wanted.  
"Nikki, I'm going to need you to go shopping today ok?"  
"Yes Master Toger, but um… how will I get there? I don't even know where it is."  
"Oh that's alright, I've already arranged for Logan to take you." Tiffany winced at that, but nodded anyway,  
"Ok," then realized she had made a mistake when she got a glaring look from Master Toger,  
"Ok master Toger," but still that wasn't good enough, then she realized what it was she needed to say,  
"Thank you Master Toger." He smiled and then said,  
"Your Welcome," Then walked out of the kitchen. Tiffany handed the kids there breakfast, and hurried out of the kitchen to get away from Logan. Unfortunately for her, he followed right after her, and stopped her when they were in the Fun Room.  
"Hey, if we're gonna go to the stores or whatever we should leave now." She looked at his hand that was on her shoulder,  
"Please get your hand off my shoulder Master Logan," she moved backwards to remove it herself but he followed not taking it off.  
"Master Logan," hearing the tone in her voice he got a sly grin.  
"Sure, whatever you say… but we really need to go to those stores, otherwise this might take us all day."  
"Stores?"  
"Yeah, stores. There are tons of them and we have to go to quite a few of them to get what we need."  
"Ok, well then lets go I guess," she was still walking slowly from being so tired and soon Logan pushed her to his nice black shining truck.   
"Gosh you're slow today," he said as they started off on the road. Tiffany stayed quiet and as far away from Logan as she could. When she looked over at him, she saw that he looked a bit concerned and deep in thought.  
"I uh… I should tell you that uh… I heard you last night… you were in my bathroom and I wasn't all the way asleep…" His voice drifted away and when he glanced at her he saw that she had turned red.  
"Oh you… you did? What all did you hear?" she was looking straight out the window, preferring not to look at him.  
"Well…" he looked uncomfortable now,  
"I heard you praying, I'm not sure what either, and I also heard you crying." Now he stopped the car on the side of the road and then looked at her.  
"Look, I know you've only known me for like a couple days and all, but do you think you could tell me why you were crying last night?" She looked at Logan incredulously,  
"How could you not know what I was crying about? For goodness sakes, I was kidnapped and sold into slavery! What would you do? Pretend that everything is alright?" she was breathing heavily now, shaking her head in disbelief. Logan said nothing and went back to driving into town to the stores like he had never asked her what was wrong. When they got to there destination Tiffany opened up the left side door, jumped out and slammed it.  
"Hey, come back here slave, I have to put these chains on your hands." Logan said lifting up some chain shackles.  
"Don't bother, I'm not going to run away." Logan ran to catch up to her, and amazing her by leaving the chain shackles back in the truck,  
"You trust me enough not to put those on me?"  
"Well yes, you said you wouldn't run away and I believe you." Walking in amazement at how easily he could believe her she asked him,  
"Do you have the list of things your father needs me to get?" reaching into his pocket he said,  
"Yes, it's right here." He handed it to her and she looked at it, then instantly looked back at Logan,  
"Wait, how do you know that I can read?"  
"I don't, but apparently you can, seeing as you didn't ask me what was on the list." Thinking about it for a few minutes she finally said,  
"Ya know, your family is the strangest family I've ever met. I mean… you don't even beat the living daylights out of me… not that I would want you to but… it's just strange."  
"Why?"  
"Because I've already done tons of things in these past few days to make it so you have to punish me…" she drifted off from talking, looking at one particular man in the crowd of people. Looking harder she finally recognize, and put a hand up to her mouth.  
"Oh My Gosh no, it can't be." She started to turn around and walk away when Logan grabbed her arm.  
"Hey I thought you said you weren't going to run away!"  
"I'm not, but we have to go back a little ways I…I think we passed one of the stores that has something we need." Logan looked on his list and noticed that when he looked up all the stores they needed to go to were ahead of them.  
"No there isn't, Nikki what's wrong? You're sweating."  
"He…he's here…"  
"Who? Who's here Nikki?"  
"The…the guy that sold me to you," her voice squeaked, and then she stopped breathing for a sec, because the second she had looked over at him again his head turned and saw her, as if he had sensed her looking at him. He grinned mischievously, like he wanted her to be afraid. But then in a moment he had turned his attention to what he had been doing. Tiffany shook her head and then looked in that exact same spot, and saw no one that looked like the guy. Noticing that Logan was slightly shaking her she came back to the present,  
"Nikki, what's wrong?" he kept saying over and over again until she finally answered,  
"I told you already, didn't you hear me?" he looked at her confused,  
"N… are you sure you're ok? You look pale."  
"But… I told you what was wrong! I did I swear." Tiffany put her hand on her head feeling a bit dizzy,  
"What's going on? I don't get it." She sat down on the ground, trying to think everything out when she looked up and then saw…  
"RUSSELL!" She jumped up and ran to him, hugging him tight, thankful for a familiar sight.  
"Tiffany?" he pulled her back at arms length,  
"Oh My Gosh it is you. Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany, it's so good to see you! Are you ok, they haven't hurt you have they?" she was crying and laughing at the same time.  
"No they haven't, they are weird and there are tons of times I think that something bad should have happened to me, but I'm totally fine. Oh it's so good to see you Russell!" she hugged him back and didn't let go until she heard an "Ahem," from behind her. She turned around embarrassed and red in the face.  
"Oh, heh, uh… Master Logan, I would like you to meet Russell, he's the one who was with me before I got sold," Russell stared at Logan almost accusingly, then held out his hand to shake,  
"I don't shake hands with slaves," Logan said coldly. Russell put his hand back to his side when they heard someone calling,  
"Russell, come one, we have to go!" They all turned to the sound and saw Russell's master. When Tiffany saw that it was a girl she immediately became jealous and wondered what Russell thought of her. She knew that Russell wasn't a good friend, at least that's what she told herself. But deep down she liked him a lot. Russell turned to them,  
"Oh uh… sorry, but I have to go… I hope to see you again sometime soon Tiffany." She nodded then glanced at Logan who was looking at her confused. When he left Logan asked her the question that she knew he would ask,  
"Your name's Tiffany? But you said your name was Nikki, how could you lie like that?"  
"Because, I didn't want your family to know my true identity, because if I somehow was able to come home I didn't want you guys to come looking for me, for some odd reason." She started walking towards one of the stores and said over her shoulder,  
"Come on, we better get those things your dad wants. It wouldn't be good if we got back late." And for the rest of the time she was silent, not talking or looking at Logan at all. On there way back to the house Tiffany fell asleep. It was hard for Logan not to look at her, he was starting to like her more than just a slave or a friend and he didn't know what to do about it. This wasn't supposed to happen he thought, this wasn't part of the plan. Growing frustrated, he pulled into the dirt driveway to his house and nudged Tiffany awake.  
"We there already?" she said sleepily.  
"Yeah," he said. Yawning Tiffany asked,  
"What time is it?"  
"Late, so you better get to bed after we put the groceries away." Tiffany nodded and got out of the car, pulled the grocery sacks out of the back of the truck, and then went inside to put them all away, with the help of Logan of course. Finally when they were done Logan gave Tiffany leave to go to bed for the rest of the night. As usual she pulled off the ugly ragged and dirty dress, said her prayers and thinking about it for a few minutes after, the got in bed and fell asleep right away.

Chapter 4

It had been a week and every night so far she had had the dream. She would always wake up shaking and sweating, but not knowing what her dream was about. It was really starting to bug her that she couldn't remember the dream that was making her sweat and shake. But she didn't know what to do about it either. Sighing in frustration, she started scrubbing off the kitchen table even harder, not realizing that it was spotless.  
"Hey, be careful. You don't want to put a hole in the table do you?" Logan said as he walked into the kitchen, and laughing a little.  
"Sorry Master Logan." Tiffany threw the wet rag into the sink, then leaning back on the table, her elbows barely on it.  
"Tiffany is something bothering you?" she winced at him saying her name. She so wished that Russell hadn't said her name that day. She was grateful though, that Logan hadn't said anything to the rest of his family, but couldn't help that it annoyed her when he said it. He used every chance he could to say her real name, and that was another thing that totally bugged her.  
"No, nothing is wrong, now back off ok!" she pushed past his bulky frame that was standing in front of her, grabbed a basket and went outside to pick fruit from the garden and trees.  
"Something is definitely wrong with you. Come on, you can tell me." Tiffany ignored him and went on picking the tomato's and then the pears. Before Logan was able to say anything more, his friends showed up.  
"Ha, I see that you still have that slave. If she can even be called that." Said Amy snottily. Peter laughed, but Logan just stared.  
"Of course she does. She's a person too Amy," Amy looked at him confused,  
"Are you sure, she almost looks like scum to me." She wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
"Come on Logan, it's a beautiful day out today, let's go to the park." Amy said pulling at Logan's right arm. He pulled back a little bit hard, and made her stagger a bit.  
"I'm sorry Amy, but I don't feel like going to the park right now." Amy looked disappointed, but nodded, glared at Tiffany and then left with Peter right behind her.  
"Look, I'm sorry about them. I don't know what her problem is." Logan said a bit weakly. Tiffany just went on with her work, not saying anything.  
Logan couldn't believe it. The plan was going wrong and now she wasn't talking to him. He couldn't figure out what he did, but apparently it made her mad.  
"Why are you mad at me Tiffany?" Tiffany stood there looking at a pear in her hand. The truth was, she didn't know why she was mad except for him calling her Tiffany, but he only did that when no one was around. She looked at him a bit sadly then shook her head and shrugged.  
"I don't know. Maybe it's because your family took a part in buying me, actually not just me but any kind of person to make as your slave. I miss my family, but you don't care. Otherwise you would have let me go free the first day I got here. Why don't you think of something Master Logan, wouldn't you be mad too if you were sold as a slave?" He stared at her for a moment and then she left, leaving him standing there dumbfounded.  
Walking back into the house, Tiffany was shocked at herself.  
"I can't believe I said that to him. I don't even know why I did. Why in the heck am I mad at him?" getting frustrated she let out a big "Ugh" and then went to clean up the children's messy rooms. She had grown fond of them, not by much because they were a bit of spoiled little brats. But she liked them all the same. One time when they were in there room watching her clean it up she asked how old they were. Little miss is 6 and little sir is 7, and she couldn't help but think of her own little sister when she saw them. Tears started coming to her eyes at even the thought of her family, and she couldn't help but wish she could watch the news to see if they had told to news people to have people search for her. While picking up the toys in little sir's room, she heard the doorbell ring and went to go answer the door. When she opened it up she was surprised to see Amy standing there. Smiling a small tight grin she said,  
"Oh good, you are just the person I wanted to see." Tiffany just stood there right in the way of Amy getting into the house, a bit dumbfounded as to why Amy wanted to talk to her.  
"Well, can I come in?" that snapped her out of it,  
"Oh yeah, sure…" she moved out of the way, and when Amy was all the way in she closed the door.  
"Wow, this place looks different every time I come in here." Amy said turning around slowly looking at her scenery.  
"What do you want Amy?" Tiffany asked, tight lipped.  
"Oh, you're not going to call me Master Amy? What a shame. Maybe I should have Logan change that."  
"I ask again. What do you want?"  
"Ok, you want to know why I came, well here's why I came. I want you to say away from Logan, he's mine. You hear me? You are not allowed to talk to him, and if he talks to you ignore him. Don't even look him in the eye! Got it? You're scum, and you have no right to even be near him." Amy was now a bit red faced, her pointer finger poking Tiffany's chest.  
"I said. Do you hear me?" she said low and menacingly.  
"Yes." Tiffany said just the same. Amy straightened her yellow dress as if is had been ruffled. Smiling she said,  
"Good day to you slave." Opened the door walked out and slammed it shut.  
"I wonder what her problem is… unless… no way… she likes him." Tiffany started laughing, but shortly stopped, knowing that Amy probably had some kind of threat there that she didn't make clear. Sighing she went back upstairs to finish cleaning.  
A couple hours later, Logan walked in the kitchen door saw her finish cleaning up the dinner she had made that night and smiled and walked over to her.  
"Hey, so what did ya make for dinner?" no answer,  
"Ok, well would ya make me something to eat since I missed dinner?" she nodded but didn't even look at him. Finally growing annoyed that she wouldn't look at him, not even a glance. He grabbed her chin softly to make her look at him, and noticed that she kept her eyes averted,  
"Look at me," he said, and she finally complied.  
"I said, will you please make me something since I missed dinner tonight?"  
"Yes Master Logan," she then pulled out of his grip and started to whip something up.  
"So how was your day today…" he looked around to see if anybody was in earshot.  
"Tiffany?" she shrugged and grabbed some refried beans out of the cupboard and made him a taco. After having it cooked she put it on a plate and handed it to Logan, then went up to her room to write in her journal that Master Toger had let her get.  
"Gosh, that selfish little brat! Who does she think she is ordering me about? Now I can't even speak to my Master except to say yes Master Logan." She spat the word Master, and then angrily sat down on her bed and grabbed her Journal, writing furiously in it. A while later she heard a knock at her door, it was Master Toger,  
"Ok, good, you're here. I just had to make sure." He smiled a bit embarrassingly and then left.  
"He had to make sure I was still here? Oh my goodness, I can't believe he thought I'd run away… well… I could, I've taken karate in my time. I could fight him or Logan off pretty well. Erg, stinkin' Amy! Why did she have to ruin my day?" lying flat on her back on the bed she soon fell asleep, only to go back to that horrible dream, and for some reason Logan an enemy in it.

Chapter 5

The next couple of days Logan noticed that Tiffany was being very distant and quiet. He couldn't figure it out at all, and it bugged him that she wouldn't talk to him.  
"Gosh, liking someone like her is really confusing." He said to himself. Sitting at the table he was hardly eating his food, and his eyes were tired and had bags under them.  
"Honey, is everything alright?" his mother said coming into the kitchen. Logan shrugged, then looked out the window above the sink, watching Tiffany pick the fruit.  
"Yeah…everything's just great." He said a bit sarcastically,  
"Logan dear, please tell me what's wrong. You don't look well, and you'll need too, since you will be starting school in a couple weeks."  
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Mom I don't feel like going to school anymore." He sighed,  
"I don't feel like doing anything anymore," his mother smiled tenderly,  
"I know dear, let me guess, girl troubles?" he half smiled,  
"Yes, it's not very fun either." Sitting low in his seat he started fidgeting with his hands, becoming all nervous, and then laid it all out for his mom.  
"Gosh mom, nothing is going right. I'm not supposed to end up liking the slave. And the plan is going all wrong. I don't think it's going to work out in the end. I think it will bomb over!" his mom smiled again.  
"I thought you liked her. They way you hang around her all the time." Her smile lowered,  
"I don't think the plan will follow through either. I feel so bad buying that girl. She's not our property, and she has a family. I don't know what I would do if you were kidnapped or something else even worse happened to you Logan. I love you."  
"I love you too mom. But what do I do about liking Tiff.. I mean Nikki?"   
"Well… for one, her name isn't really Nikki is it?"  
"No,"  
"Didn't think so, well, maybe you should try and talk to her. I've noticed she's been more distant with you. So it would be a good idea to found out what's wrong."  
"Yeah, me too, if I can get her to talk that is. She doesn't even look at me mom. What do you think about that?" his mom thought about it for a moment.  
"Well, I heard that a couple days ago Amy came by. It might have something to do with her." Logan's face darkened a little,  
"Maybe…" his mother smiled one more time then kissed his forehead.  
Later that day, Logan found himself standing in front of Amy's house and knocking on her brown old looking door. He dreaded when the door opened, because it was Amy who opened it. He wished he had at least a little bit more time. When she saw him she smiled brightly.  
"Oh hey Logan, come in, come in."  
"Uh, no thanks, I just came to ask you what you said to Tiff… uh Nikki that day when you came over." The smile faded on Amy's face and she became angry,  
"Why? Did she say anything?"  
"No, except that she hasn't talked to me since that day, well actually that morning. What did you say to her Amy?"  
"You really want to know what I said?" Logan nodded,  
"No, I don't think you do. Well Logan I've got things I have to do, so good day to you." The door was almost closed when Logan's strong arm held it back,  
"Amy, tell me what you said," he said more demanding. She sighed and finally gave in.  
"Ok Logan, this is what I said. I said that she shouldn't speak to you or look at you because she's scum and you're mine. And that she should stay away from you as much as possible." Logan stood there dumbfounded, not able to believe that she said that to Tiffany. After a long pause he said,  
"Amy, I don't want you to ever speak or be near me again. You hear?" now it was Amy's turn to be dumbfounded.  
"Are you serious? You can't be serious Logan. Not after all that we've been through." Now her voice was weak.  
"Amy, I've told over and over again, we have never been a couple, and now never will be. Got it?" her head bobbed up and down slowly and she closed the door quietly, leaving Logan to stand there furious.   
Jumping into his black shining truck, he sped home, wanting to talk about all this with Tiffany. Ten minutes later he was at his house. He hurried and got out of the truck and practically ran into the house.   
Breathing heavily, he looked everywhere for Tiffany, but she was no where to be found. Then a thought came to him to look in her room, so he ran up the stairs taking them three by three, not caring whether or not he tripped and scratched his knees. Opening the door, he found her kneeling on her knee's then hurried and closed the door, listening to her presume her talking. While waiting for the right time to go in he heard some strange things that she said, like being grateful for the great home she lived in and for the family she was living with. She also said that she knew she would get home one day, and knew that she just had to wait for the right time. When she closed her prayer, which he thought she closed it a weird way, he opened the door to find her still kneeling on the ground by her bed, thinking he guessed.  
"Ahem," he said putting a fist up to his mouth to make it look almost like a cough. She jumped and then turned towards him, only to turn away fidgeting with her ragged dirty dress.  
"Oh, uh… hello." She said hesitating a bit. He could see she was trying to conceal her discomfort but she was failing, miserably.   
"Tiffany, I had to come and talk to you." She looked a bit surprised,  
"Oh?"  
"Yes, I had to tell you that… uh…I found out about Amy and what she did to you. I'm so sorry, I had no idea. You should have told me." Now she looked a little angry,  
"I should have told you? I could barely talk to you without knowing that Amy was probably there watching me. Now she probably hates me even more. Gosh, I so did not want an enemy, especially in a place where I don't even know where I am." Standing up stoutly, she straightened out her dress, then walked over and tried to pass Logan, but he would not move.  
"Please move Logan, I have more work to do."  
"No, I will not move this time. Stop avoiding me Tiffany, I took care of the problem, there is no need to worry anymore."  
"Oh yeah? Well that's what you think Logan, this problem is far from over. Trust me, I'm a girl and you're a guy," Logan put his hand to his heart smiling a little while saying,  
"Ooo, ouch, that hurt to the core Tiff… right to the core."  
"Don't call me Tiff. Now please move, or else."  
"Or else what?" he was now smiling broadly.  
"Or else I'll kick you hard, and you'll be writhing."  
"Oh yeah? Well ya want to know what I'm gonna do?"  
"What?" all of a sudden he grabbed her face, not too hard but just enough so she couldn't get out of his grip, and before she knew it, he kissed her. It took a moment for her to realize what was happening but when she did she slapped him in the face.  
"What in the heck do you think you are doing?" she asked incredulously,  
"Why kissing you of course," he couldn't help but smile, seeing her blushing like that and all, but then before he knew what was happening she kicked his shin so hard he thought it broke.  
"Now, I have to go finish my work and I don't want to see you again. Got it?" he nodded now on the floor holding his leg. She pushed past him and then was gone not caring whether he was hurting or not. 

"Gosh I can not believe he did that. What makes him think he could do that?" Tiffany was now in the kitchen, furious and yet a little flattered. No one had ever kissed her before, but she couldn't help feeling a sense of loss. Grabbing a basket, she hurried outside before she was told of anything else to do that day. Picking some pears off of the trees, the tears started to come to her again, she may have been kissed but she had no one to tell that too, except her journal, but she wished she was at home face a little red, and her smiling from embarrassment to her family and telling them all what happened that day at school. But that wasn't the case; she was a slave picking fruit in the backyard with no friends. Wiping the tears from her face she walked backwards to pick the one specific fruit she saw that looked really ripe and good but then all of a sudden she bumped into someone.  
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you," she said hurriedly,  
"Oh no, it's ok, really. I should have moved so you didn't bump into me, so really it's my fault." The girl smiled, and already Tiffany was starting to like her. She had dark skin, but her smile was brighter than ever. She also had an African accent it seemed. Putting her hand out to shake Tiffany said,  
"I'm Tiffany,"  
"I'm Emilia," she said shaking hands with Tiffany,  
"So what brings you out here?"  
"Oh well, don't tell your master, but I saw you and thought I'd introduce myself, you look like you need a friend." Tiffany smiled faintly,  
"Yeah, it's just been really hard ya know?"  
"Yeah I do, I was sold as a slave a couple years ago, and it's not a good feeling, I still cry for my family even now, I don't think it will ever be better. Except that now I finally have a friend, my prayers have been answered." Emilia hugged then said a little rushed,  
"Well I better go before you get caught, I live right next to you so we should try and get out here at the same time." Tiffany nodded,  
"Yeah, ok, how about lunch time tomorrow?"  
"Will do, see ya Tiffany my new friend." Tiffany waved as Emilia left. Smiling a little through her new happy tears, Tiffany then finished picking pears and tomatos.  
Later that day she was in the living room dusting and vacuuming. The TV was left on from Master Toger earlier that day, but Tiffany didn't bother turning it off today, because the news was on and right before they left for a commercial they said something about someone who had been kidnapped a couple weeks ago. Tiffany instantly turned off the vacuum and waited for the commercials to turn off, anticipating the news. Finally it was back on.  
"Welcome back to Fox 13 News, today a family is out searching for there daughter, Tiffany Klacky, who's been missing for a couple weeks now and have been hoping that there might be some kind of trace to her disappearance, Mike Anderson has some more…"  
"Thank you Stacie, Well the Klacky family has put up a lot of posters these past few weeks, and they are hoping for any trace about her daughter's disappearance…" suddenly her family was on screen,  
"We miss her so much we just want her to come home." Her mom and dad and sister were all in tears by the end. Next they showed her best friend Caiti who was also in tears,  
"I miss her, she is my very best friend, and I have no doubt she's alive out there, she just needs to find a way home. Tiffany I love you, please hurry home," Tiffany was now crying, wishing she was there, and happy for her friends undoubting faith.  
"They have scheduled to put up bigger posters so more people will recognize her and be able to contact her. But until then, back to you Stacie."  
"Thank you Mike. They are also saying that they think a Russell Jackson, was kidnapped along with Tiffany, but from the looks of it, people think it could be just teenage love and that they ran off to get married. We are all hoping for the better than the worse. Earlier this morning a house was set on fire…" Tiffany shut the TV off, not caring about anything else that was on,  
"Well, that was interesting." Tiffany jumped then instantly turned around,  
"What…what was?" she said a bit hesitantly,  
"I saw the whole thing Tiffany, you don't have to play dumb, but don't worry I won't tell anybody you paused in your work to watch the news." He smiled and then started walking towards her. She noticed that he was limping a little,  
"Hey sorry about kicking you, but you had no right in doing what you did." He stopped a couple feet away from her.  
"I didn't? well I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself, I just…well… never mind," his face began to turn red,  
"You just what?" she said suspiciously,  
"Oh never mind, I have to go, and you probably won't see me the rest of the day. So I'll say this in advance, g'night." He slightly waved then turned and left. She couldn't help but think he looked good in what he was wearing, but that's just the way she was. Especially when his hair made the slightly baggy pants and baggy hair made it look even better. She shook her head out of her reverie, and then began vacuuming again, her head in a big jumbled heap of clouds the news the kiss and how good Logan looked in what he was wearing today.

Chapter 6

Tiffany wasn't able to see Emilia the next day or the day after that. It seemed harsh to her, but she was so busy the next two days, because the little miss was having a birthday party, and for some reason Mistress Toger wanted her to get things ready for it. Looking around the basement that was covered in balloons and confetti she couldn't believe that it took two days just to get a party ready. But she did it, although she was dead tired. By 6 o'clock that night Tiffany was yawning every second, not being able to hold back her tiredness. The kids were upstairs just barely getting here but already she could hear there screams. Sighing she got up out of the old grandma like chair, so she could be out of the way of the kids and so they wouldn't make fun of her. Standing in a dark corner in the back of the basement away from the fun, she fell asleep standing up. The next thing she knew, she was in her bed with Logan sitting in a chair right next to her. He smiled at her,  
"Oh good your awake,"  
"How long have I been asleep?"  
"Well, you slept through the whole party, and… it's now day time." Instantly Tiffany shot up out of bed, then heard Logan laughing at her,  
"What are you laughing at?"  
"Don't worry, it may be eleven, but I convinced my mom to give you a break from work, and she convinced dad. So you can sleep as long as you want." Tiffany sat back down on the bed, still a little tired.   
"Why would you do that for me?" she asked turning to look at Logan and surprised to find that his face was red.  
"Well… uh…" he pulled at his collar,  
"The thing is… uh… I like you," he was now even redder then he's ever been in the face.  
"What? But… how can you? You don't even know me!"  
"I know enough to like you." He smiled shyly, and she sighed,  
"I'm sorry but if that's why you asked for me to have the day off then, I'm gonna go to work." She got up, grabbed her dress and went into the bathroom to change. Soon enough, she heard Logan's knock on the door,  
"I didn't get you the day off just for that, I got you the day off because you have been working really hard these last couple days to get ready for my sister's birthday party. Please don't take it like that, and just take the day off, you really need your rest." Tiffany inwardly sighed,  
"Fine, but I'm not going to do nothing the whole day." She opened the door and saw that Logan had backed away from it. She went down the stairs, and then headed out to the backyard deciding to make the best of it, when she heard an "Ahem" from behind her. Turning around she saw Logan,  
"What do ya need?" she said,  
"I was instructed by my dad to follow you wherever you went, he doesn't trust that you won't run away although I know that you won't." Tiffany half smiled,  
"Ok…" she shrugged and then went up to the garden,  
"EMILIA!" she shouted and her friend popped up from behind the fence separating the two different backyards. Emilia smiled brightly,  
"Oh hey Tiffany, how are you? I didn't see you a couple days ago, what happened?" Tiffany smiled,  
"Oh I got caught up in a lot of stuff these past two days, mainly a birthday party, I was exhausted to the core, it wasn't fun," she laughed, and Emilia right along with her.  
"Oh man, even though we didn't talk much Emilia, I've missed ya girl."  
"Yeah same here." They hugged and Tiffany helped Emilia with her chores, laughing at things the other said.

Logan waited on in the background, letting the girls talk, although he couldn't say he wasn't surprised when he saw Emilia pop up from behind the other side of the fence. But he didn't mind, as long as Tiffany didn't know he was watching her he was just great. Sitting down on the grass, listened to the chatter, and loved the feel of the breeze on his face. Smiling, he couldn't help at how good Tiffany looked. He knew she had been putting the dress on over her regular cloths and he admired her for it. When she told him to think about being a slave and if he'd be mad too, well, the truth was that he probably would be. He would try and get out as fast as he could. Looking at Tiffany he saw a strong girl, who could do remarkable things, but sad enough for him, he was part of the plan. She wasn't. Noticing that Tiffany was now coming towards him, he quickly got up off the ground.  
"Uh, Logan, do you think we could go into town to the stores?"  
"How come?"  
"Well because…" her eyes kind of drifted in different places when she said that, and he thought he knew why.  
"Well, I'll go check with my mom, so I'll be right back," he turned to Emilia,  
"Make sure nothing happens to her, and make sure she doesn't run away." Emilia laughed and nodded her head yes, Tiffany looked incredulous.   
Walking back to the house he kept getting more and more jealous every time he thought of why she wanted to go. How could she do that? She knows how I feel about her. He shook his head, face going a little red. Walking into the kitchen he saw his mom there,  
"Mom, I'm taking Nikki to some of the stores in town ok?" His mom was doing bills and so when he asked she just waved her hand dazedly and nodded.  
"Ok, we'll be back in a few hours, and I have my cell."  
Jumping out of the car, him and Tiffany went to some clothes stores. He thought it'd be nice to get her some regular cloths, because for one, she needed new regular clothes and two because he wanted to see what she'd look like in some of his favorites he liked to see on girls.  
In one of the clothes stores, Logan saw a tank top shirt, pulled it out and handed it to Tiffany for her to put it on.  
"What is this?" she asked,  
"Uh well, it's a shirt for you to try on."  
"Well, I can't wear this, it's too scanty! I need something with sleeves," she went looking around at some other clothes and found a shirt that had half sleeves and was long, she smiled and went into one of the changing rooms. When she came out, Logan was a bit disappointed, it wasn't as tight as he would've liked, but she looked good in it.  
He smiled and complemented her,  
"You look good Tiff, why don't you try these pants?" he said handing her some pants, she took a look and then said,  
"These won't fit me, they are too small, where'd you get these from?" He pointed to the rack right behind him,  
"Well no wonder, these are for girls a size 0 gosh! I'm a size 6!" she shook her head rolling her eyes half smiling. Coming back out of the fitting room, she was smiling broadly in the new shirt and new pants, the pants he noticed were a little loose,  
"So, how do I look?" she said blushing,  
"You look…amazing." He meant it too. Deep down he was thinking at how hot she was, and wondering what she would do if he ever kissed her again.  
"Thanks," she shook her head laughing, then went back in to change. Coming back out she said,  
"I'd like to get these."  
"Wouldn't you like to look some more?" she shook her head once more,  
"No, actually, I'd just like to get home," she swayed a little on her feet and he hurried to catch her,  
"Are you all right?" he said looking at the beautiful girl in his arms.  
"Oh, uh… yeah… I just feel… a little dizzy…" she fainted then and there in his arms. He set her down gently, then ran and got a cup of cold water splashing it on her. Watching her face so close that when her eyes fluttered open she screamed, shocked.  
"Oh my gosh, sorry, you… you scared me!" she was breathing heavily.  
"Well you freaked me out too." He sat on the floor now with her, laughing a little,  
"Well we better pay for those clothes eh?" Tiffany nodded, shaking from fainting and the shock of seeing him so close to her.  
"Phew, I'm glad we didn't draw a crowd either, that would've been bad," He helped her up from off of the ground, and then they went to the check stand ready to pay for the items.  
"It's $25.50 sir." He handed her the money and then they walked out of the clothes store, that was purple.

As Tiffany walked out of the store she still felt sick from being dizzy. Looking among the crowd she saw a familiar face. Looking closer she could tell who it was,  
"Russell," she yelled,  
"RUSSELL!" she started running, with Logan right behind her. Hearing his name being shouted, he turned in the direction of the sound. Seeing her he stopped whatever he was doing and ran to her. They met in the middle hugging each other tightly,  
"Oh Tiffany, I've missed you so much," he kissed the top of her head,  
"I've missed you too Russell," she looked up at him, and then broke away,  
"How are you?" she asked,  
"Well, I've been good, I've missed my home and family, but… I am a little used to this." He half smiled, and when she looked in his eyes, she saw sadness there.  
"Russell, what's wrong?" right after she asked that, she heard a sound from behind,  
"Russell, come on, we must be back to the house otherwise daddy will get worried," with her hand on his right arm she tip toed and kissed him on the lips, then he began to become red. Tears forming in her eyes Tiffany asked,  
"Russell… how could you?" he looked at her softly,  
"I'm sorry Tiffany, but… I love her…" Tiffany backed away and started running for Logan's Black Shining Truck, jumped in and then shut the door fast. Logan only a few paces behind her.

When Tiffany had shouted Russell's name, a large form of jealousy formed in his stomach. He wished that Russell would just get out of his life, and that Tiffany would stop liking him. But he knew that wasn't possible, she liked him and as long as Russell was here, he wouldn't have a chance with her.  
But he was wrong, standing right behind Tiffany while she hugged and then talked to him, he couldn't believe what happened next. His master kissed him. She kissed Him, and He let her. He was so furious that when she ran away he punched Russell in the face,  
"How could you hurt her like that?" he said angry,  
"I didn't mean too, it just happened that… I love… my master…" he said the last part quietly.  
"You rude jerk," Logan said looking down on Russell who was on the dirt ground. Running, he followed Tiffany back to his Shining Black Truck, and winced when she slammed the door, but knew she had a good reason.

Tiffany cried all the way back to the house, she couldn't believe it, he loved someone else. She felt like no hope was left for her. She wanted to sink down so low that nobody would be able to see her in a dark corner, but she had work to do, and knew that tomorrow she'd have to wake up early again to do her slave work.  
Sighing she went into the house, fixed dinner as it was now dinner time, and then did the rest of her chores, wishing that she'd have bigger hope that'd one day she'd get home. Oh she did still have a little, but she didn't think that was enough. Sighing she said to herself,  
"I guess I'll have to pray every hour on the hour, maybe that'll do much better good." She finished the vacuuming the basement, getting rid of any sign that a party had happened. Finally at about 11 o'clock that night she finished cleaning, went upstairs exhaustedly, and flopped down on the bed falling asleep, not noticing the clothes in a sac at the bottom of her bed.

Chapter 7

Three weeks passed, and Tiffany had been down in the dumps every day. Sure she tried to be happy, she concealed it pretty well in front of the family, but even then they knew something was up. She could tell Logan was worried for her, but even then she just didn't care. She was tired, sad, frustrated and just wanted to go home even more than ever. She could just imagine what would happen today, she'd be in her kitchen doing homework, listening to a recently sent song to her by her best friend Caiti, and talking to the guy she liked a lot in high school. She laughed at the memory but that quickly faded remembering her position now. Tears streamed down her face as she fed the animals out back, she'd been crying since the night before, well actually since she found out about Russell, she just couldn't keep the tears from coming.  
Wiping the tears from her blotchy face, she quickly took the food to the animals and then did the water for them. Now that it was summer the mornings felt so good. But in the daylight her dark brown hair would become all sticky and wet, and stick to her face. It annoyed her greatly, but she was becoming to not care a bit whether it looked pretty or not. She could just hear her mother now saying, "Honey, if you feel sorry for yourself you'll never have a good life. Do you want to be miserable all your life? I didn't think so!" she could also see the smirk on her mother's face right after she said that, it must mean that she felt sorry for herself a lot, although she didn't feel like she did now.  
While she was walking back to the house from feeding the animals, she heard an unexpected voice say,  
"Well, well, long time no see." The person laughed evilly. Tiffany turned around so fast she almost tripped, she knew that voice, and it wasn't a happy one.  
"Amy," she said devilishly low,  
"Well, at least you have a good memory, I'm amazed you even remember my name ha, ha, ha," Tiffany already annoyed turned and started walking back to the house.  
"Hey," Amy said putting her hand on Tiffany's shoulder,  
"You don't leave until I say so, remember? My threat to you about staying away from Logan is still good. So you better leave him alone." Now it was Tiffany's turn to laugh,  
"Amy, stop fooling yourself, he hates your guts so live with it and get your hand off of my shoulder." She started back to the house again, but once again, Amy was persistent,  
"I promise you scum, if you ever talk to him again, I'll kill you, and don't think I don't have ways to watch you, because I do, so stay away from him." Tiffany, being sick and tired of Amy's ridiculous threats, she turned around and shouted,  
"Leave me the heck ALONE." With her hands in fists she walked faster to the house but Amy still behind her, finally having enough of the girl she turned around and punched her, knocking Amy on the ground. Crying Amy said,  
"Just you wait till Logan hears about this." She got up and ran as fast as she could, her Pink flowery dress now muddy. Muttering Tiffany said,  
"Fine, what do I care?" annoyed at herself for stooping to such a level she cleaned the house and the kids rooms faster than usual. About dinner time at six o'clock she was finished, and then ran upstairs, and not coming out until it was time to clean up dinner.  
Logan came up to Tiffany while she was doing the dishes, scrubbing hard,  
"Tiffany, what's wrong with you today? You look…more angry than usual." Turning towards Logan she answered,  
"Yes, in fact I'm furious, you wanna know who I saw today?"  
"Who?"  
"Amy, yeah, and ya wanna know what else? I punched her. She's gonna be coming over here to tell you that I punched her." Huffing, Tiffany realized that Logan was laughing,  
"What are you laughing about?"  
"You…(laughs) you punched her? All right, high five." He was laughing so hard now he couldn't put his hand up for her to give him a high five, and soon Tiffany started to giggle a little bit at the thought too. Noticing that Logan stopped and then cheered for joy,  
"Yes, I made you laugh my day has now been fulfilled." He hugged her, and then let go, slightly blushing, he wanted to kiss her so bad but he knew this was the wrong time.  
Being totally oblivious to his blushing she laughed right out loud,  
"Oh really? Well I'm glad I made your day, but… mine isn't fulfilled, it hasn't been for a long time." Logan sobered up,  
"Well, I wish there was something I could do Tiffany, I really do. Oh man I wish I could tell you…" he sighed then smiled,  
"But, I'm glad you haven't left yet, it still gives me time," He didn't realize he said it out loud and then looked in Tiffany's eyes to find she looked a bit curious,  
"Time for what?" she asked,  
"Oh never mind it's nothing, really." He turned away and got out of there as fast as he could so she wouldn't ask him any more questions.  
Think to herself she thought, Hmmm… that was weird, especially for him, I wonder what he's waiting for! Shrugging, she finished cleaning the dishes, now much more calm then she had been for the past 3 weeks.   
Slowly going up to her room, she smiled finally thinking that maybe it wasn't so bad here.  
Late that night, she had the dream again, this time she was able to notice something. There were men surrounding her, laughing and snickering, but the thing that bothered her most was one of the faces she could see very clearly, it was Logan's. They started coming at her saying "You're dead" over and over again. They were getting closer and closer when…  
"NOOOOOOOOOO," she screamed sitting up in bed panting, sweating and breathing heavily. Looking around herself she found that she was back in her small room, and all its familiar surroundings, except one thing wasn't there. In the corner by the window she noticed that her journal was missing.  
"Oh no, not my journal, where'd it go?" she jumped out of bed and looked in every inch of the room but it wasn't there. She couldn't believe it, she was freaking out.  
"Where did I put it?" she whispered to herself,  
"Please be here somewhere, please," but she had no luck. Sighing, she sat on her bed now very sad.  
"What will I do without you journal? You're the only thing I have to express my feelings in…" Sighing once more she laid back down on the bed, desperately wanting to fall asleep but her thoughts kept interrupting her. A few minutes later she heard someone open her door,  
"Tiffany, you okay?" Logan said concerned,  
"Yeah…" she said slowly, "I'll be fine, don't worry,"  
"Ok you better be, I heard you scream from my room, and I had to make sure you were alright." Tiffany nodded her head, then closed her eyes, not noticing Logan shutting the door.  
Two hours later she was woken up by Master Toger,  
"Nikki, you need to get up, its 5:00 a.m. time for chores."  
"Ok," she mumbled and got up groggily out of bed, rubbing her eyes. As she looked around the room it began to sway, her eyes hurt, and she couldn't keep them open. Pressing on her head she said quietly to herself,  
"Man, my head hurts, it's pounding so hard…" she laid back down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

It was now 6:00 a.m. and Tiffany still hadn't come downstairs. His dad was getting really angry now and so Logan hurried upstairs to see what was wrong. When he opened her bedroom door, he was shocked to see she was sound asleep. When he got closer to her he saw that that wasn't the case, she was sweating and trembling and crying. He felt her head and gasped, she had a fever,  
"Uh, DAD!" he yelled,  
"I Think We Need a Doctor Up Here." He grabbed a chair sat down right next to Tiffany and then grabbed her hand saying,  
"You're going to be alright Tiffany, everything is going to be ok," then he heard his father yell up the stairs,  
"Why Do We Need a Doctor?"  
"Because Nikki Is Really Sick," he yelled back, then felt Tiffany's head again, wincing at how hot it was. Then next thing he knew his dad was up there checking to see if Logan wasn't lying, and upon seeing Tiffany on her bed as sick as she was, he quickly called a doctor. Soon his mother and brother and sister all came up the stairs to see how Tiffany was doing.  
"What's wrong?" his mother said,  
"She's sick mom, really sick, I don't know how but… hmmm…" he got thinking, "I wonder if this had anything to do with that…" he mumbled to himself,  
"You think this had anything to do with what?" his father asked after finishing calling the doctor.  
"Oh well… today when we were at the clothes store, she became dizzy and then fainted, it was pretty scary. Luckily I caught her before she fell and hit her head really hard." He blushed a little, the looked back at Tiffany. Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door,  
"I'll get it," his father said and soon Logan heard his father saying the door was for him,  
"Tell the person to come up here," he yelled back down,  
"They want you to come down here and hurry," Logan sighed and then left Tiffany,  
"Who is it dad?" he said skipping stairs as he went down. At the bottom when he looked up Amy and Peter were at the door.  
"Oh, hey guys." His face darkened as he looked at Amy,  
"Logan, we need to talk, you'll never believe what that scum of a slave did to me today,"  
"Oh I already know, she told me earlier today."  
"When she wasn't sick," he added,  
"What?" Peter asked,  
"Oh nothing," Peter scratched his head,  
"Logan, what's up with you? You never hang out with us any more! Is it that slave girl?"  
"Yes, actually it is. Especially right now I can't hang out with you guys, right now I just need to get upstairs because she's really sick right now."  
"Oh poor baby," Amy said sarcastically,  
"Amy, this is exactly why I don't like you," Logan said angrily, then said to both of them,  
"Well, I have to go back upstairs, if this is the only reason why you guys came, then goodbye." He almost had the door closed when peter stopped him,  
"No, that's not the only reason why, we came to tell you that… uh… Amy and I… we are dating now," Peter began to go red in the face,  
"Oh, well, that's good…" Logan said awkwardly, then closed the door, letting them leave,  
"I'm sorry guys, but you aren't really that important to me anymore, Tiffany is the only one who is now." He said to himself as he walked up the stairs and then sat by Tiffany's bed the rest of the day.  
Soon the Doctor arrived to analyze Tiffany, but made them all leave the room so he could do it. The whole time Logan paced back and forth as best as he could up on the stairs, finally his dad had had enough,  
"Logan, it's alright, she's going to be okay, and it's just a fever."  
"Dad, fever's can be serious, what if she DIES?" his dad chuckled,  
"I don't think this is the case, trust me." Sighing Logan finally complied,  
"Ok dad, if you say so," but in his head he still worried, and wanted to pace even again.  
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the doctor came out looking a little grave.  
"What is it doctor? What's wrong? Will she be alright?" Logan said anxiously,  
"Well, she'll be alright, but she's been working too hard, if she keeps working as hard as she does she'll keep getting sick like this, then one day it might just be too much for her… she also seems really stressed about something, do any of you know what it might be?" Logan nodded,  
"Yes, a friend that she cared about deeply, betrayed her a couple weeks ago, she's been really down since then."  
"Well, maybe if you could get her to forget that, then that would be better for her. She's much too stressed, please don't take this lightly," the doctor added after seeing there faces.  
"I won't doctor I promise," Logan said, and the doctor smiled, left it at that, then gave Logan's dad the bill. Looking up from the bill he said,  
"I guess we shouldn't work her as hard, what happened to her a couple weeks ago to make her sad like that?"  
"Oh well, it's not something I like to talk about or even remember." Logan said quietly. His father nodded and then they went into Tiffany's room. Logan stayed by her side all day long, and well into the night, taking care of her, waiting hoping that she'd wake up sometime soon. But until then he hardly got any sleep.

Chapter 8

During her fitful hours of being sick, Tiffany dreamed quite a few things. The first was a scary dream which had Tiffany sweating and shaking like crazy. Again the dream had the evil men in it, coming closer and closer to her, and again Logan's face was the most vivid. She saw compassion and tears in his eyes, like he had committed a terrible sin. He was coming towards her, arms open wide, but she rebelled from him. In her dream she felt like she hated his guts, not even able to stand being near him. And yet, she knew he was sincere. Sincere about what she didn't know. All she knew was he was coming towards her protectively, while men in the background held swords and guns shooting and slicing. Suddenly the dream changed. Next, she was in a dark brown room, tied to a chair. Someone was talking to her, she couldn't hear him though. Next thing she knew she was hyperventilating and her breathing was ragged. Remembering her health classes she counted to 100 listening to her breathing, trying to calm her nerves down. Then her dream changed again. This one was much more calm and happy. Although, she was a little weirded out by it. She was in a small room, light brown, a bed and a desk. Then she was in the bed, lying down on her back, Logan right next to her. He was so close to her face she could feel his breathe, and then he kissed her. A tingle went right down to the tip of her toes. She couldn't help but think she was starting to like him. She didn't want that to happen though, and yet she couldn't help it. After a few seconds, the kiss stopped, and the dream ended to become shear darkness. And then, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked to her right to see that Logan was asleep. Half way on her bed holding her hand. She pulled out of his grasp and tried sitting up, but feeling way too stuffy, and sweaty and shaky. Suddenly, Logan was awoke with a jump, closing his hand that had held hers in a fist, he realized that it he wasn't holding it, then looked over at her. Seeing that she was awake, tears came to his eyes, but quickly he wiped them away embarrassed that he was caught at such a touching moment.  
"You're awake. Oh thank heavens. I… we was so worried."  
"Why?" she said tiredly,  
"Because you've been asleep for 5 days." Hearing that, Tiffany was instantly awake,  
"5 DAYS. Oh My Gosh, are you kidding me?" he shook his head, his lips frowning ever so slightly. Tiffany jumped up out of bed and then instantly laid back down feeling light headed and very, very weak.  
"Hold up Tiffany, don't get out of bed for another hour or so, you need to eat something. You haven't eaten anything except for some scraps of bread and water that we gave you, but even then it was hard to get you to chew. So I'll be right back and get you something to eat. Actually, a Lot to eat. You'll be better in no time." He got up fast and hurried down the stairs. Tiffany sighed and let her head rest on the pillow. She kept thinking about the dreams she had, or dream, she wasn't totally sure. That last one though, that was in her head very vividly. She couldn't get it out or her mind. Logan kissing me! That's not possible. He wouldn't do that while I'm sick. She shook her head baffled. That definitely wasn't real. It was just my dream, nothing more. But something kept telling her that it was real. The next thing she knew, Logan was back in her room, handing her apple sauce, water, Chicken legs, salad, and tons of Jell-O. She laughed at him for bringing her so much food, but then stopped, the effort too much.  
"I don't know if I'll be able to lift my hands up, they feel so weak…" she lifted her hands to pick up the chicken, and they started badly shaking. When she looked at her hands they looked pale, and her usually kept nails were much to long for her.  
"I would feed you… but that might be a little weird," Logan said, a little pink in the face.  
"Yeah," Tiffany said breathily.  
"Look, I told my mom that once you woke up I'd help her around the house, so you better finish all of what's on your plate. I'll be back in like maybe two in a half hours." He took her hand and kissed it, then left the room. Blushing, she pulled back her hand and rubbed it, but smiling nonetheless.  
Sure as his word, Logan was back in two in a half hours to check on Tiffany. Knocking on the door she answered him,  
"Come in," the door squeaked,  
"Oh good, your almost finished," "Yeah, it was harder than I thought it would be. I don't think I'll be able to finish this either…" Logan laughed,  
"Truth is, I didn't really expect you to eat all of it." Tiffany looked at him with one eyebrow raised.  
"Oh?"  
"Yup, it's true. I just did that so you'd eat at least almost all of it."  
"Oh, well, thanks?" Logan smiled smugly,  
"Your welcome," he scratched his head a little embarrassed by what he was about to say,  
"Um, I was just… worried ya know?"  
"Ah, I see, well thanks for being worried but I don't think you had anything to be worried about."  
"Are you kidding me Tiffany? You could have died. Luckily we got a doctor over here. He said you might be sick like this because of all the stress that you've had over these past few weeks and days. So, from now on my family and I won't be asking you to do so much stuff."  
"Thanks but no thanks. There's nothing you could do… except maybe…ah never mind." Logan watched her face, and thought he knew what it was she thought they could do,  
"Tiffany, I would Love to let you free, but it's not up to me. I can't stand the thought of you working like a slave it bothers me that I can't do anything to help you." Logan was pacing the floor now.  
"Logan, if you can't do that then… I'll just keep on working."  
"No! You will not Tiffany! I absolutely forbid you too work too hard."   
"Oh? And what if I do work hard?"  
"I'll make you stay in your room."  
"Ooo… I'm so scared," Tiffany said half smiling.  
"Okay, now you're just messing with me," Logan said, also smiling,  
"Oh, and what if I am?"  
"Then I shall do this," he leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Tiffany's first reaction was to move, but decided that she liked the feel of his lips on her, and so she didn't do anything to him, until a few seconds later she pushed him back gently then said,  
"I'm sick remember, I'm not going to get you sick, and besides, I'm not ready…" there was disappointment on Logan's face,  
"Oh, I see,"  
"I'm sorry Logan,"  
"No, no, it's fine. Look, I better go and get back to my chores. I'll come see you in a bit."  
"Oh, alright, see ya then." She said. He waved slightly goodbye then left the room.  
Tiffany sighed, but smiled a little, thinking about how she liked they way his lips felt, and how he cared for her so much. Shaking her head out of daydreaming, she realized that once she left his home, she'd never see him again. Snap out of it Tiffany, you can't start liking him, he doesn't know the real you and besides he doesn't believe in the same things as you do. She told herself over and over again. That was the most important thing to her, was that she had to marry someone who was also a Mormon like her. It saddened her, that she couldn't like Logan, but she knew it wouldn't be any good to if she couldn't get married in the temple with the one she loved. Sighing, she closed her eyes, and feel back asleep, dreaming of Logan.

When Tiffany had woken up out of her "coma" Logan was very startled, it had only been a couple of hours since he had…well… he didn't really like to think about it, because I didn't want to think of what Tiffany would do to him. But then, he was confused at what had happened right before he left. He thought that when he kissed her, she would slap him and yell at him, he was prepared for that, he wasn't prepared for her to kiss him back, it totally shocked him. He wondered if that meant she was starting to like him. But then the thought left his mind. She would never like me, not in a million years, maybe she just felt bad what she did the first time I tried to kiss her and decided it'd be better if she didn't do it this time. He shook his head and finished vacuuming the Fun room. Five minutes later, he went in the kitchen to find that his mom was making dinner.  
"Wow mom, you're making dinner? Nice!"  
"Oh yes, it's not something I do often, and I thought that since Nikki was asleep, I would make it, and besides, I think I like to make dinner. Maybe I'll take this job away from Nikki,"  
"Ha, ha, that'd be good mom, then she couldn't do anything about it. It's like the doctor said, don't make her work too much," his mother laughed,  
"You are so right my boy. So tell me, do you think you might love Nikki! To me it seems like you are pretty dang close to that," instantly Logan's cheeks flared red,  
"Well, certainly I like her, but I'm not sure about love, I don't even know what it's like to love someone. Except you and dad and Little Mark, and Little Stacie." His mother smiled,  
"Tell me, does your heart pound hard when you see her?"  
"Yes,"  
"Do you get butterflies in your stomach whenever you see her?  
"Yes," Logan thought he knew where this was going,  
"Do you think about her none stop throughout the day?"  
"Yes,"  
"Well, by golly gee wiz son, I think you're in love," his mother laughed softly,  
"Wow, maybe I am," Logan laughed too, but then frowned again,  
"But she's not in love with me, I already know that for sure, and besides she even told me today that she's not even ready for a relationship." He sighed, stopping for a second of washing off the table,  
"Are you sure honey, maybe she's just scared."  
"Maybe, but I doubt it," Logan shook his head and finished wiping the table. He then remembered that Tiffany probably needed something, and so he hurried back upstairs to find that she was asleep. Smiling he went and sat down right by her. He looked at her face, loving the way it was shaped, thinking her lips looked so soft and tender he wanted to kiss them again, to feel again what her lips felt. And so, he leaned over and kissed her. Hoping that she wouldn't wake up while he was. Luckily for him she didn't, and he sighed with relief for both reasons.  
A couple minutes later, while Logan was holding Tiffany's hand, she woke up. Startled, Logan instantly let go.  
"What were you doing?" she asked sleepily,  
"Oh uh… nothing, it was nothing." His face turned red, and she rolled her eyes.  
"Obviously you did something your cheeks are so red."  
"Ok, maybe I did, but is that a crime?"  
"Only if it has to do with me and especially if you won't tell me."  
"Well, don't worry…" he said a little uncertain.  
"Are you sure?" he nodded,  
"Positive?"   
"Yes, positive, look, you just rest here for the rest of the day, and tomorrow we'll get you up when we think necessary, ok?" Tiffany sighed,  
"Fine, but if you think I'm gonna stay in bed the rest of the night, think again."  
"Well, I'd rather you did, incase you fell or something especially while I'm not up here to make sure you're ok, but… if you feel it's necessary, than… ok! Get well soon Tiffany, and see ya tomorrow," he smiled, and then left the room.  
Oh boy, that was a close call. Logan thought as he was going slowly down the stairs. Thinking about everything that happened in the past day, he started whistling, feeling good for the first time in days.

Chapter 9

In the next few days while Tiffany recuperated, none of Logan's family would let her work too hard. It bugger her immensely, but she decided that this was an improvement on there part.  
"Wow! I didn't know you guys cared so much about some dumb slave." Logan scratched his neck nervously.  
"Yes well, it's like the doctor said, we can't let you work yourself too hard." Tiffany looked at him suspiciously,  
"I think it may be more than that…" realizing she said it out loud she put her hands on her mouth and spoke again,  
"Oops, I didn't mean to say that out loud." Instantly her face blushed up and Logan laughed.  
"Well, you may be right! There may just be more to it!" Logan walked out of the kitchen  
where Tiffany had been wiping off the counter.  
"Hmmm… that was weird. I wonder what else it could be," she shrugged it off and went  
back to washing the counter top, and the dishes. When she looked in the fridge, she noticed that they were almost out of everything,  
"Goodness, they need more food. Sheesh, they go out of food fast." Shaking her head laughing a little she went looking for Master Toger, and found him outside working in the garden.  
"Ahem," she said with her fist up to her mouth. Looking up and seeing who it was, Master Toger said,  
"Oh hey Nikki, how are you this morning, not doing much work I hope." Tiffany laughed,  
"Unfortunately no, nobody will let me work as hard as I want too! It's really starting to bug me." Master Toger laughed right out loud at that comment,  
"You want to work harder? Now that's crazy talk. I would think that you'd want to work less."  
"Well, I've got nothing better to do around here, except maybe hang out with… a never mind, I would just like to work as much as I want, and when I want." She thought for a second,  
"I've always been an oddball, always. I was never like any of the kids in my school." She shook her head in a little disbelief for herself.  
"Well, I guess I'll go and see what I can do… Oh wait I just remembered why I came here. Master Toger, you guys need more food, your pretty much out."  
"Hmmm… that's weird. I could have sworn I bought groceries yesterday. Ah well, Nikki, why don't you go to the store, tell Logan to take you."  
"Oh, ok sure," she turned hesitantly, and then walked back into the house to find Logan.  
Looking everywhere she could, Tiffany could not find Logan. She looked downstairs, in the Fun room, in the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, the rooms upstairs and still she could not find him. Sighing she went up to her room, needing to rest her feet. When she opened the door she was surprised to find that Logan was in her room. "What are you doing in here?" she asked,  
"Well, I'm not sure. I just… well… I don't know how to say it." His face became red in embarrassment.  
"Never mind. I'll just be leaving now." As he was about to slightly push her out of the way of the door, she held her hand fast on the door knob and the edge of the wall.  
"Not so fast, I've been looking for you!" Logan looked surprised,  
"You were?"  
"Yes,"  
"What for?"  
"Well, I am needing to go to some grocery stores, you guys are almost out of food," Logan answered back, disappointment clearly written on his face.  
"Oh, ok then, well let's get going, we don't want to be out too late, seeing as it's already five o'clock."  
"Yeah, that wouldn't be good."  
On there way to the main part of town, it became immensely hot for Tiffany, and when she tried to open a window, dust flew into her face.  
"How come you guys don't have cement roads? All this dust is killing me!" she said sputtering out some more dust. Logan laughed,  
"We'll get you some water when we get to one of the grocery stores ok?"  
"Ok, that'll be good." Feeling happy, Tiffany hummed the rest of the way to the grocery stores, not knowing that Logan was enjoying every moment of her humming.  
As they were walking out of one of the stores, Tiffany remembered something that they had forgotten,  
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot." She hit herself on her forehead.  
"What? What did you forget?"  
"Oh, it's… nothing, I can wait till next time to get it."  
"No, what is it?"  
"Well, my journal, it's disappeared, I can't find it anywhere in my room."  
"Are you sure that my little brother or sister didn't take it?"  
"Yes I'm sure, it was there when I went to sleep, and I had a bad dream, and when I woke up in the middle of the night that night my window was open and my journal was gone."  
"Oh really? Well, I'll have to tell my dad that. In the meantime I'm going back in to get you another journal, ok?"  
"Uh… ok, but I really don't have to get it right now, it's getting dark and your dad will be wondering where we are soon."  
"No, no, it's fine really. It won't take me long to get one, and I trust you enough that you won't run off, but you can't tell my dad I left you alone by yourself." He smiled and winked, then hurried back into the store before Tiffany could say another word.  
"Well, that went mighty well don't you think boys'?" Tiffany whirled around, finding herself face to face with her original kidnappers. Her voice shaking and her body trembling Tiffany said,  
"What do you guys want? I'm sold as a slave like you wanted, now just leave me alone."  
"Well, if you don't recall, before you were sold as a slave I said I'll be coming back for you. And look, here I am!" they all laughed, and started to close in on her.  
"And if you don't remember, I asked you how I know you, but you never answered me."  
"Well, let's just say it's not the right time yet. Maybe later, but for now we need you for some… sentimental reasons." The leader of the group smiled, showing his golden and rotten teeth. Tiffany shivered in disgust,  
"Well, Logan should be out here any minute. So you guys best be on your way."  
"I don't think so missy, you see, Logan partially knows us, he's only met us a few times, but enough to know not to mess with us when we are doing business."  
"What? How would he know you?"  
"You'll find out soon enough. Boys' take grab her and bring her with us." They closed in closer to her, she fought tooth and nail, punching, kicking, screaming, but there was just one too many of them. If there had been two less than the ten of them, she knew she'd be able to get away, but she had never been taught to fight off this many people at one time. They dragged her across the road, with her almost getting loose, but eventually she lost. When she looked at the grocery store that she had been standing by, she saw Logan come out of the store, and then heard her cries for help. But when she looked in his eyes, all she saw was sadness there. Anger quickly grew, and she couldn't help but wonder why Logan hadn't come after her, not remembering what the leader of the group had said about him sort of knowing him.  
Before she fell totally unconscious, she saw Russell in the street, trying to see what all the ruckus was about, and saw that when he saw who the person was they were capturing, worry was evident on his face. 

When he had walked into the store, he had seen the evil men. But as was part of the plan, he couldn't interfere. Then, to come out to find that it was Tiffany they had taken, he almost started to bawl, he couldn't believe they wanted her so soon. He thought he'd be months into his school year before they came for her. But again, he was wrong. Seeing her leave, his heart almost tore out, he couldn't help but cry, especially when she had looked at him for help. She'd probably hate him for the rest of his life and he didn't care about that. As long as she was ok, and nothing happens to her!  
Sighing he left to his Shining Black Truck, and drove home slowly, not caring how late it was. When he got home, he walked straight up the stairs and too his room. His parents knowing instantly that something was wrong when they didn't see Tiffany walk in behind him or in front of him. Walking into his room, Logan slowly shut the door and slowly walked to his bed then sat down. Putting his hands to his face, he did what he hadn't done in a long time, he cried. Suddenly, before he new it, somebody knocked on his door,  
"Honey, can I come it?" he heard his mom's muffled voice from behind the door say. Quickly wiping his face he said,  
"Uh, yeah sure." His mom hurried into the room and shut the door, then quickly came and sat right next to Logan on his bed,  
"Honey, what happened? Where's Nikki? Your father is already furious! So please tell me the truth."  
"She's… she's gone… they took her," Logan felt the tears coming to his eyes again,  
"The… the men who… who are the leaders of… of the plan." Logan was now gasping in air as he tried to talk. When he looked at his mom he saw she had a very serious look on her face, although she was rubbing his back lovingly,  
"They weren't supposed to come and get her so early. Logan, did they talk to you?" he shook his head.  
"Hmmm… I just can't figure out why they would take her now… unless… Logan, your not giving her privileges when you're alone with her are you?" he slightly blushed,  
"Well, not much. I just left her outside of the grocery when I went in to go get her a journal" he lifted up the Journal he bought for her,   
"Oh, Logan dear, that was a bad move."  
"Why?"  
"Because, don't you remember what they said when we ended up getting into this plan of there's?" his mother quoted them,  
"Do not give her any privileges what so ever. She doesn't deserve any. Not one tiny shred."  
"Well yes I remember that but… she does deserve privileges. Lots of them. Ugh, this just bother's me that we got into this." His mother was now stroking his hair.  
"I know dear, me too. I was against this whole thing from the very beginning." She sighed, as did Logan.  
"Mom, I don't know when I'll see her again, maybe never!" He began to cry softly, and then his mother left the room after giving him one more loving hug.

Chapter 10

Tiffany couldn't believe it. She was kidnapped AGAIN. Even worse, she was in a room with one window, but 2 stories up. Around the room were some bookshelves and a desk with some paper's and a book on it. The room looked like it was naturally green, but painted a covered over with a brown color. It was ugly but she could live with it. Walking around the room to see what books were on the shelves, she passed by the desk only taking a glance at it. The glance was just enough to make her notice the book. It looked exactly like her journal. Picking it up she gasped. This is my journal! She thought they stole my journal!  
"Ugh, I can't believe this," she said aloud, "How dare they steal my journal. My journal, with My personal writings in it." She was so mad she wanted to punch one of them, but instead she counted to one hundred.  
Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind her,  
"Your journal? Well it was Your journal that we could get the best information."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Well, you wrote a lot about Logan, and that's the kind of information we needed." Tiffany's face became red with anger,  
"Those are my personal feelings and thoughts, you had no right to read my journal unless I gave you consent, which I didn't. You are a jerk who doesn't deserve to know anything about what's going on in my life, or Logan's."  
"Wow, you speak mighty powerful for a girl of age 17!"  
"So! All of it's true, and you know it. You're just a sleaze bag who doesn't care what you do to someone else! How can you live with yourself?"  
"You're right. I am a sleaze bag! And I don't care what you think, or what I do to people." He grinned that horrible grin,  
"Ugh, you disgust me."  
"Why thank you madam! You are too kind," he laughed then left the room. Tiffany grabbed a book of the shelf and threw it at the door. Calming down once more, she sat down on the desk chair,  
"I'm going to go crazy in this place, how am I supposed to get out?" sighing, she looked at the window,  
"Hmmm… it's so crazy it just might work." She walked over to the window and looked down, then laughed,  
"These hoodlums are so dumb. They didn't even put bars on the window." Devising a plan, she began to pace the floor.

The next day was school, and Logan and his mom were doing last minute shopping. Although Logan couldn't help that he didn't want to go. He and Amy had almost every single class together, because that's what Amy had wanted. He detested it from the day he found out they would be in almost the same classes.  
Suddenly he came out of his thinking by his mother's talking.  
"Logan dear, you're going to have to get over Nikki. I know that you loved her, but you can't risk anything with those evil men. Actually, I think you might just see her again. They are having a group meeting in a few days. And you are supposed to be going to it."  
"Really!" Logan said with hope,  
"Yes. But honey, please don't go ballistic when you see her, okay?" Logan sighed,  
"Mom, I wasn't gonna go ballistic, I was gonna think of a plan to get her out of there." His mother smiled her loving smile,  
"That's good dear. I'm glad. Because I know with out a doubt, she is your mate, although neither you nor her may know it." Logan smiled,  
"You think so?"  
"Well yes. I do think so. You are nineteen, and she's… what seventeen eighteen? It's almost that time for you both, and I can tell she really likes you."  
"Do you really think so?"  
"Oh yeah, she's definitely got it bad for ya! At least from what I can tell,"  
"I don't think so mom, she hardly acknowledged me," his mother laughed, bending down to pick up some refried beans on the bottom shelf.  
"If you didn't notice her journal, I took a peak once…"  
"Mom!"  
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. And besides, she wrote a lot about you!"  
"Really? What'd she say?"  
"Well, that's for me to know, and you to never find out!" his mother laughed then turned into a different isle with the basket she was pushing.  
"Mom, that's so not fair, you've gotten me curious," Logan said catching up to his mother.  
"Well dear, I'm sorry, you'll just have to ask her if you ever want to know." Thinking of asking Tiffany made Logan sad,  
"Yeah well, I would if I could but I can't. There's just one problem, she's not even here!"  
"Well when you go to that meeting, you'll see her, and then… once you've got her out. You ask her."  
"What if she runs away?"  
"I don't think she will."  
"Hmmm… I sure hope you're right mom." He laughed, and then they finished the shopping, and headed back home.  
When Logan walked in the door with some grocery's in his hand, his father stepped in front of him.  
"Hello son."  
"Oh hi dad, what do you need?"  
"If you think I don't know about Nikki, I do!"  
"Well… I thought mom had told you!" his mother called from behind Logan,  
"Sorry dear, I didn't get a chance to tell you."  
"Oh well… that's ok, but do you think you could tell me now?" Logan's eyes began to mist up,  
"Sorry dad, you'll have to ask mom that…" he walked slowly to the kitchen, set the groceries on the table, and then went up to his room.  
Gosh, what's wrong with me? Why didn't I go after her? He threw one of his pillows at his wall and then laid on his back on the bed. Stupid, stupid, stupid me! Why, why, why? Ugh, I've definitely got to get her back, no matter what it takes! Logan fell asleep on his bed, and didn't wake up 'till the next morning. 

Pacing in the room she was in, Tiffany was interrupted by the head leader walking into the room.  
"What do you want?" she said evilly,  
"Well, if you must know… I want you." Tiffany's eyes narrowed,  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Well, you're beautiful, and you look good." Tiffany slowly made her way behind the desk,  
"Stay away from me you creep."  
"Oh, Tiffany, you know you want me more then that Logan boy."  
"Oh really? Then wouldn't I have written about you in my journal?" the leader was now in front of the desk, looking her in the eyes,  
"Oh come on Tiffany," he grabbed her arm, pulled her away from the desk and almost had a kiss on her when she kneed him in the stomach.  
"Stay away from me you sick jerk." Standing by the door now bending over a little he said,  
"I'll be back for you." Then he left. Tiffany was shaking so bad she could hardly stand. Sitting cross legged on the floor she said to herself.  
"Now I really got to get out. That window is looking more and more good for escape." Crying a little, she got up off the ground, and walked so she was directly in front of the window, but enough space to run and jump.

Chapter 11

Standing there, looking at the window, Tiffany had almost actually jumped through it. But she chickened out at the last second. That and she heard someone coming up the stairs. Quickly she ran, and sat on the floor by the desk, hoping they wouldn't suspect anything from her.   
Suddenly the door was slammed open, and one of the leader's thugs came in smiling grossly.  
"The boss would like to have a word with you." Immediately Tiffany's body began to visibly shake, and the thug had to come and help her up, doing roughly as he did so. She pulled her arm out of his grasp saying rudely,  
"I can walk. I don't need your help." She walked down the old brown stairs, her legs wobbly, but she forced herself to stay standing, because she really didn't want the thug's hands touching her. It made her skin feel vile and gross, so she decided to withstand falling as much as possible.  
Laughing the thug said,  
"You are a tough one. But not someone the boss can't break." She turned around so suddenly that the thug almost fell,  
"What do you mean he can break me?"  
"You'll just have to find that out for yourself now won't you girly?" he laughed, and the pushed her, making her fall down the rest of the way to the bottom.  
Landing on her side, Tiffany cried out in pain, holding her arm. Breathing heavily, she got up slowly, still tending to her arm. Looking at the thug with honest disgust, she followed his instructions of which way to go. First they turned on the very first door after the stairs on the right. They walked down a long hall, and then the thug pointed and said to turn left. The third door on their left, from after turning left, was the Leader's room. She opened it slowly, her arm still throbbing. Seeing her come in, the Leader with the scar smiled sickeningly,  
"Ah, there you are. I've been needing a talk with you."  
"Oh really? About what?" she said smoothly but low.  
"Well, about earlier." He stood up out of his chair, wincing a little, and hands on the desk in front of him.  
"I've been thinking. I made a bad approach, and almost deserved what I got. But that doesn't clear away what you did. You shall be punished," he looked at her arm that was now swelling, "And I see that you've already started to get your punishment. Good, but, let me warn you now. Be Prepared for Pain!" Tiffany gave him a confused look,  
"What more pain could you cause? You've already caused enough pain on me. Leave me be, I have done nothing to you!"  
"Oh, that is where you are wrong dear girl. We have met once before."  
"Ha! I don't think we have. I would've remembered meeting someone as sick and gross like you."  
"Oh trust me, there was no way you'd be able to remember."  
"Well then, why don't you tell me now?"  
"Because, now is not the time. And I haven't caused you enough pain. No, especially when you have caused me even more. It's your turn to pay."  
"How am I gonna pay?" The leader clasped his hands, smiling evilly.  
"You shall see dear girl, you shall see!" He laughed his sickening laugh, and then waved his hand for the guards to take her back to the room she was staying in. Wincing in pain and tears streaming down her now blotchy cheeks, they pulled her along, taking her to her room, which seemed to take a life-time to Tiffany.  
They threw her into the room, and she landed on her right arm her hurt arm. Crying out in pain she slowly stood up, feeling dizzy, and then she fell back to the ground, this time avoiding her right arm, but landing on her back. Her breathing growing shagged, she fell into unconsciousness dreaming of horrid things pertaining to both her kidnaps.

Logan and his mother were in Tiffany's room, seeing if maybe they could find clues as to who had stolen her Journal. Logan remembered she had said that it was stolen, but she was kidnapped before they were able to interrogate the situation further. Logan felt a deep sadness inside his heart. He couldn't believe he had just let her get taken! Every time he thought about it he would get sick to his stomach, wanting to just hurt himself. He yearned for Tiffany, missed her, wanted to hold her and keep her safe. But he knew that if she never ended up feeling the same way as him, he'd never be able to protect her. Just being in his room, he felt a deep pang and guiltiness against his heart. I could have done something! He said to himself why didn't I do anything? But he knew the answer as to why, he was scared. Scared that if she knew he was part of the plan, that she would dump him, scared that he would be killed if he had done something. He wished he was brave enough to face the leader, but deep in his heart he was a coward. Tears welding up in his eyes, he sat on her bed punching it mad at himself. Suddenly his mother wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly saying,  
"Logan, everything will work out the way it's supposed to. Don't worry! I'm sure Tiffany will be alright, she knows how to take care of herself." His mother smiled softly then kissed Logan's forehead, then grabbed his face in her hands.  
"Please, don't worry, you make me worry." Now he smiled slightly,  
"I'm sorry mom, I don't mean to worry you, but I can't help but worry for Tiffany, what I did was wrong! Erg! Why do we have to be involved in this stupid plan?" His mother stroked his messy hair slightly,  
"It's not your fault Logan, this is your father's fault!" now she was crying and Logan couldn't figure out why,  
"Mother, why are you crying? You've got no need."  
"Oh honey, I warned your father we shouldn't have gotten involved in this, but he didn't listen. And then, he was in too far and there was no way out! I would've left the house, but…" his mother was crying softly now, "But, he was in so far, that we got stuck in the process, I couldn't leave! No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't leave!" they were hugging each other now,  
"Oh mom, It's not your fault!" they let go of each other, and she said to him while looking in his eyes with her wet teary ones,  
"I'm so proud of you Logan, I hope you know how much I am!" he nodded, and then she went to the door. Right before she closed it he said suddenly,  
"Oh and mom…" she opened the door wider,  
"Yes?"  
"Thanks for holding me back a year! If you hadn't done that…I don't think I would've ever met Tiff… Nikki." She smiled,  
"Your Welcome son," then she left.  
Sitting there on Tiffany's bed, he finally got a good look of her room. It looked different than it had when she first moved in. Then he figured it out, the place wasn't dusty. She had dusted it, and made it her own special place. He laughed then said to himself I bet she probably wouldn't want to move into a different room now. He looked at his clock and then noticed what time it was,  
"Man, I must've stayed here longer than I meant too!" He stood up, took one more look around, and then made his way out the door to get ready for the meeting he was to attend and leave right away.  
"Mother, I have to leave now. This may be my only chance to save Tiffany!" Logan said to his mother after once he was in the kitchen after getting ready.  
"Ok dear. Now please, whatever you do, don't get hurt!" he laughed,  
"Me? Get hurt? Nah!" he swooshed his hand laughing trying to make his mother relax and it worked, slightly.  
"Logan dear, I'm serious! Please don't get yourself into harm!" Logan grabbed his coat, then hurried out the front door of his house and into his shining black truck.

Tiffany woke up from lying on the hard cold floor to find out that she had been crying. Sitting up, she wiped her tears wincing as she forgot that her arm had been badly injured, and sat up. Her hair was frizzy and messed up, going in directions this way and that. Standing shakily on her feet, tiffany had a look around her room. Memories came flooding back, and she remembered the leader's threat. Even thinking about what he might do to her made her light headed, and soon enough she was on the floor, trying not to hyperventilate. Breathing in and out she said to herself,  
"It's going to be ok, everything will be fine. The lord will make sure of that." Remembering the lord, and that he could help her in times of peril, she got on her knees and prayed. Prayed that no harm would be placed upon her by the vile leader's hands, and prayed that somehow she would get enough courage to jump out of the window and be able to run to safety.  
Shaking less now, she stood up, awaiting her punishment that was soon to come. But unfortunately, or fortunately (she couldn't decide which one it was) the Leader never came for her that night. But the next day, while she waited nerve recklessly, the Leader of the men came for her at noon. Coming into the room, he grinned that grin of his again, and Tiffany shuddered in disgust, then glared at him,  
"Oh, don't glare at me! I haven't done anything to you." She rolled her eyes,  
"Yes you have, and you know it! You've done lots of things to me! Why can't you ever just… leave me alone?" he laughed at her enthusiasm,  
"You have got just the spunk that I need in a girl!"  
"What do you mean?" she said her voice becoming shaky,  
"Oh, well… you see, I have my posy coming in for a meeting today and… let's just say you'll be the highlight of the night!" He laughed evilly, then started to leave when he turned around suddenly and said,  
"Oh and one more thing, don't get too comfy tonight!" he laughed again then closed the door, locking it on the other side from which Tiffany was in. Tears came to her eyes, and she shouted,  
"Mom, I miss you!" she fell to her knees bring her fists to her eyes, even though her arm still hurt she couldn't help herself but hold her eyes, crying out.

Logan hurried fast to get to the Leader's house, but it seemed almost forever to him. It was an hour away, and Logan was sure he'd miss his chance to save Tiffany, and driving fast was all he could do. Secretly in the back of his mind, he was afraid that when Tiffany saw him there with the group she'd become mad at him, and hate him forever. So he was shaky as he drove to save her.  
About an hour later, he drove into a rather large drive way that led to a rather large white and blackish house. As he looked up at the house he shivered, knowing that Tiffany was somewhere in there suffering from the cruelties of the Leader. Eyes growing narrow, he hoped that his Leader didn't do anything to harm her, other wise he would go ballistic.  
Slowly stepping out of the car, Logan headed towards the door walking the small twisty path and then up the three stairs. Right as he was about to knock somebody answered and said quickly and quietly "Come in" and he entered. Taking a look around, he noticed that inside the house had a log house feeling, and it made the house darker than it would've been if it had been white walls or any other bright color.  
Shaking he looked every which way in the medium sized room that he walked into. He saw that he was one out of two other's who had arrived for the meeting, and he knew there were more to come. So he went and sat down on the chair to his right, and then rubbed his eyes. He couldn't believe that she was here, in this very house, and as he took a good look at his surroundings. Seeing the dear head's and vile pictures he was fearful for her more than ever. Soon he stood up and began to pace, thinking that he was going to go nuts if he didn't find her soon.  
"Logan, glad you could make it. What's the rush?" Logan spun around, his pacing stopped, to find the Leader standing there watching him, smiling his evil smile.  
"Oh uh nothings the rush, I am just, uh, just nervous about the meeting and what's going to take place tonight." Logan couldn't help his voice shaking; after all he was standing right in front of the most dangerous person he had ever met. The Leader grinned,  
"Don't worry Logan, I know why your nervous." He patted Logan's back,  
"But don't worry, I've got your back." He laughed and then left Logan, who was standing there stunned.  
Logan sat back down in his chair and tried not to fidget, but he couldn't help but think what the Leader meant when he said he'd have his back. But that soon left his mind for a few minutes as he realized that the rest of the group was there. The Leader, formally known to this particular group as Deraj, yelled to get every ones attention.   
"Well, as you all know, I had captured Tiffany, the girl who had ruined my life so long ago, and she's here for payback. She's upstairs at this very moment. And let's just say, we are going to have our fun with her!" When he said that last part he stared right at Logan, who gulped with fear at the thought of what Deraj had in mind for Tiffany.  
"Well men, shall we be off upstairs to have some fun?" All the guys in the room laughed and shouted, raising there beer's that they had picked up off the table in the room that was sitting against the wall directly across from Logan. Standing up, Logan still shook with fear, and was becoming sick to his stomach. As Deraj led them up the stairs on the left of the Chair Logan had been sitting in. Now, as they headed up the stairs, Perspiration began to fall down his face, and his thoughts were going a million miles especially one's about Tiffany. What will she say when she sees me? I hope she doesn't hate me for the rest of her life. Then, as if he had been hoping for it, peace filled his heart like nothing he could ever explain. All he knew was that his worries about Tiffany were gone. He sighed, as if a weight had lifted his shoulders, and he knew that everything would work out.

Later in the day, the Leader of the men came up the stairs, unlocked the door and walked in hurriedly, and quickly got straight to the point, not giving her a chance to get up off the ground.  
"Well my dear girl, my men are showing up now for the meeting. Well, technically it's not much of a meeting when there's a girl involved. Except for the fact we'll be discussing you." Sniffing and wiping her eyes, Tiffany said,  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Well, mainly it's about payback! You'll get exactly what you deserve tonight! And there won't be anything you can do about it!" He laughed like the villain he is, and then said one more thing, hoping to have an affect,  
"Tonight…" he looked her up and down,  
"The boys' and I are going to feel you up, if you catch my drift." He winked loving the shaking reaction he got. "Oh and tonight, you'll learn why this is happening to you!" then he rushed out, the door slamming as he went. Shaking, all she could do was pace around, waiting for the moment to come, except for the fact that she kept becoming lightheaded she was still able to stand on her feet.   
Vaguely she heard voices below and began to realize that if she didn't get out of the horrid place fast, then something horrible was going to happen to her. But before she was even able to make a move to jump out the window, she heard there footsteps and shouts, so she hurried and hid behind the desk, trying as much as possible to keep away from the men that are sure to come. Her grip becoming strong on the desk she watched as three men entered the room, making her confused. The Leader turned towards her, saw her surprised face then said,  
"Oh, the rest of the boys will be coming in, in a few minutes; I just had to get you ready in here." Tiffany's eye's narrowed,  
"What are you talking about?" The Leader snapped his fingers and his two men each grabbed one of her arms. Shouting, she struggled to get them to let go of her, but it was no use, they were too big for her. Frightfully and shaky she asked,  
"What did you mean earlier when you said you guys were going to…to feel me up?" she closed her eyes and gulped waiting for the answer,   
"What I said is what I mean; we are going to feel you up. None to comfortably on your part I might add." He gave a sly grin then walked to the door and opened it saying,  
"Boys, come and see… Tiffany!" they all shuffled in, and as Tiffany counted she stopped after ten because she noticed Logan. Logan was here! Rage beyond belief filled her body and soon she was going to make her move. Glaring she noticed that Logan looked at her with sad worried eyes, and she faltered almost letting the men take on her full weight. What's up with him? She thought why's he acting all innocent and stuff? He confused her, but she decided that she couldn't think of that now, that she had to keep her focus on what she was about to do… after she learned why she had been kidnapped in the first place.  
As she looked around the room she glared at each and every one of the fifteen guys (she had counted them all over again), even Logan who seemed to wince. Then she turned towards the Leader of the group,  
"So, you ever gonna tell me why in the heck you kidnapped me? Twice?" he laughed at her spunk then said,  
"Why yes, of course I am. Let's see… where do I begin? Oh yes, it all started out when I was in my office coming up with this brilliant plan to steal money that I needed very much when on my way out I ran into you. You said that you were there to stop me, like some mighty heroine. Well guess what! My posse and I here kicked your trash! And then once you were unconscious we erased your memory, but… that wasn't before you called the cops on me! After your memory was erased, I was taken to Jail, and tried for attempted murder. Which is half true, and soon I was ordered guilty. So, for oh say about… 5 years I've been in Jail! No thanks to you! So now, I'm getting my payback, and that's where my boys' come in," he turned to them and smiled at them,  
"Boys what I've gathered you here for is her…" he pointed towards Tiffany,  
"Go have some fun with her boys!" he laughed evilly, and as the boys began to come towards Tiffany she did something totally unexpected, she stomped on the left guys foot, and then kicked him in the stomach. Once he had let go of her she quickly punched the other guy before he could attack her, using of course her unhurt arm. Then she noticed that the other men were coming towards her. So quickly she pushed her way through the men and towards the window, taking one more deep breathe she ran the short distance and jumped. When she hit the glass instantly pain exploded in her arm, but now she couldn't turn back. Fear backed up with excitement went through her body as she was "temporarily flying" but soon, she realized her situation and she went into survival mode. Getting in the position to land, she ended up doing a Land and Roll. She landed on the ground, and then instantly she rolled so as she wouldn't break any kind of bone, or break her hurt arm especially. But soon enough she ran into a tree, which was the only one around for miles. Shaking her head to get back to reality, she realized what position she had now put herself in. So quickly and painfully, she got up off the ground and began to run. Pain filling her arm, and tears welding in her eyes, she ran as fast as she could. Soon, she noticed a black shining truck coming up. Somehow they had seen which direction she went in and followed her. Uh oh she thought Father who thou art in Heaven; please don't let them catch me, please… As she thought the last thought, the truck came moving up beside her and in it was Logan, and only Logan.   
"Tiffany, please get in the truck. Hurry!" she stopped, and so did the truck. Glaring she said,  
"How can I trust you Logan? You were with them!" she paused for a sec.   
"How could you Logan?" he just sat there in his truck, window open, arm halfway hanging out of the window, staring at Tiffany. Finally he said,  
"It wasn't my fault Tiffany. I had nothing to do with what happened. Please, just trust me. And besides, if you keep on running they will catch you, if you come with me they won't. I'll take you somewhere to hide so they won't find you, just please come with me!" his voice was desperate and she could tell he was sincere so she complied. As she was getting into the truck she winced, having trouble getting up onto the seat. Logan, noticing her struggle and her lack of the one arm he said,  
"Tiffany, are you ok? What did they do to you?"  
"Nothing," she grumbled. Logan turned to look over at her since he hadn't begun to press the peddle to get the truck going.  
"Tiffany, I know you better than that. What did they do?"  
"Oh, and like you don't know!" Tiffany folded her arms wincing as she did so but determined not to let Logan see that she wasn't ok. Logan touched her arm and a tickle went down her spine.  
"Please tell me Tiffany. Please," he lowered his head, "I didn't want to be in this, my father was the one who got involved and then we were taken along with the ride. Soon we weren't able to back out and we were trapped. We still are…" his voice drifted off into nothing, waiting with intensity for Tiffany's answer.  
"Look, you may not have wanted to get involved, but you did Logan! And at the moment, that's all that matters." Tiffany turned to look out the window, and Logan started the truck and they started moving, neither of them talking. Tiffany looked into the side view mirror, angered at herself and Logan when she noticed a car coming upon them fast. Hurriedly she turned towards Logan and said,  
"Logan, press on the gas! We've got company." Logan took a quick glance at her then went back to driving.  
"No way, if I start speeding then they'll know for sure that you're in the truck with me."  
"And if you stop for them, then they'll see I'm in here and you'll have no way of getting me away!" he thought about it for a sec, then coming to a conclusion he stepped on the gas and soon they were racing (or so it seemed to Tiffany). Her heart racing Tiffany turned to look at the car behind us, and she saw the Leader. Trembling, she turned back around in her seat,  
"Was it bad?" Logan asked, and Tiffany nodded.  
"Oh yeah, it's the Leader of your pack…group… whatever you want to call it. But he's following us, and if you stop, I'll be taken again and…" She paused, trying not to cry,  
"And if he gets me, he'll do something worse than what he was doing when you came." They both shuddered, and both for the same reasons.   
"I'm sorry Tiffany, so sorry," Logan suddenly blurted,  
"For what?"  
"For not helping you when you were in your time of need. Please forgive me," Tiffany gave a small smile,  
"Of course I forgive you Logan," he sighed in relief,  
"I'm glad, I would be very sad if you hated me…" Tiffany looked at him then put her hand on his shoulder,  
"Look, I don't hate you, or anyone! I'm just… I don't know, sad that you would let them take me. If you really cared for me you wouldn't have let them do that." She took her hand off his shoulder and faced forward, both her hands on her lap shaking. She couldn't help but be afraid, and as she looked over at Logan, she saw him shaking and knew that he probably was also afraid. Feeling a little remorse she said,  
"He's not going to catch us, as long as you keep on goin' as fast as you are." But in her mind she thought I hope he doesn't catch us that would be an even worse nightmare then it already is right now. Shaking her head she couldn't help but feel the blood in her veins pump faster, her heart rate go up and her breathing become ragged and shorter. Suddenly, a nightmare worse than she could imagine was coming up shortly. As she looked ahead of the truck, she saw they were coming upon a bend, or a curve. She held onto the car armrests so tight that her hands were turning white, and seeing as fast as they were going she came to the conclusion that they would begin to turn the curve and the truck would overturn and BAM, they'd be dead. Dieing didn't really scare her, it was the part when extreme pain would explode throughout her whole body. Shivering once she turned to look behind and saw that the Leader was still on there trail. Then she noticed a few other guys in the car, and before she knew it they were poking out the windows, and pointing a gun. Straightening back in her seat she felt a peace fill her bosom, and she knew her and Logan would be alright, and after she had that feeling the gun shots came. She and Logan both screamed, Tiffany ducking down, and then she felt the swerve. Butterflies and fear instantly filled her stomach and for a second she thought they had fallen over the side. But soon she noticed they were still moving, and when she turned around to look behind them, the Leader wasn't following them anymore and she feared they had befallen the fate she thought her and Logan would. Saying a silent prayer for them she sat quietly for the rest of the ride back to Logan's house, thinking and determining in her mind that she was going to leave that night to go back home.

For Logan, hearing Tiffany's screams in the room made him fearful, and be began to become very uncomfortable. Especially, when he went in the room, and saw her being held by the arms from two separate men, that cut deep. He could see she was hurting and he wanted to punch the living daylights out of those two men, but he refrained, holding back his anger. Then when he heard Deraj say that to get her back, they were going to feel her up. His blood was almost to boiling point, his fingers clenching and unclenching. But then something totally unexpected happen, Tiffany clobbered those men. It surprised him so suddenly that he forgot to grab Tiffany and get her out of there. He never got his chance, because soon he saw her jumping out of the window two stories high. His adrenaline pumping, he feared the worst when he looked out the window with all the other's, then noticed that she had actually deflated the devastating blow with a Land and Roll whoa, I've only seen that move done in the movies he thought and then hurried down the stairs to his truck. When he tried to start his truck he was shaking so bad he almost couldn't get the keys in the ignition, but luckily they were in faster then he thought and soon was on the move towards the direction of Tiffany.  
He saw that she hadn't gone too far but far enough away that it took him a minute to catch up to her in his truck, and when he did he used all his persuasive power to lure her into his truck and get her to safety. And just when he thought that they were off the hook, she told him that Deraj was behind them and a tickle of fear creped down his spine, then thinking that if he kept going the pace he was going that Deraj wouldn't know Tiffany was in his truck, but then she persuaded him to go faster in telling him she would be in even more danger if Deraj had made them stop. So pressing the gas peddle, they sped on, and even though Deraj was in his dinky little wagon, he had made it get some serious miles.  
Noticing that Tiffany was very scared, he tried to calm her down, but wasn't doing a very good job of it because his voice was a little shaky. Sighing soft enough for her not to hear he kept his pace even trying to go faster, he saw the curve and prayed that they would be alright, and when the shooting happened he was sure that one of them would get hit, and that was the end of it. But they rounded the curve safely, and Logan kept his pace up, hoping beyond hope that Deraj and whoever else was in the car fell. Soon enough he found out they did fall and he slowed the truck's pace to thirty mph.  
Finally, after an exhausting night, they were at his house relieved that they had made it. Logan stepped out of his truck, legs a bit wobbly and hurried and opened Tiffany's side door, concerned of her arm that he feared might be broken.  
"Here Tiffany, let me carry you inside." She shook her head,  
"No, I can do it. I'm fine, really." But when she planted her feet on the ground her knees buckled and Logan grabbed her arms before she was fully on the ground.  
"Thanks," she said meekly, although wincing from the pain in her arm. Logan decided to take a shot at carrying her to the door, and she didn't refuse. She was lighter than he had expected, almost, and so it was pretty easy for him to carry her inside. But she wouldn't let him take her upstairs, determining that she could do it herself, and still struggled a bit.  
Logan ached to help her in any way possible, but she wouldn't let him. He didn't know how to tell her he was falling in love with her, especially when she was just seventeen and he was nineteen. Shaking his head he wearily went into the kitchen to find that his mother was sitting on the counter, along with his sister and brother and dad.  
"Hey," he said quietly,  
"How'd it go?" his mother asked, and he got a sly grin on his face,  
"I got her. She's upstairs right now." His mother laughed and gave him a hug from where he was standing, he himself crying a little.  
"I think she her arm is hurt pretty badly. We'll have to have someone look at it." Before his mother spoke his father put down his coffee he was drinking and said.  
"Look son. I know you care for this girl very much. But we don't have the money to pay for her arm to be fixed. Well have to set it ourselves and wait and see how long it will take to fully heal…" he was then cut off and they all turned at the sound of Tiffany's soft "Ahem". Turning towards her Logan said,  
"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be getting some rest. You've had a very stressful day."  
"I know," she said tiredly,  
"But I came down here to tell you guys something…" Logan held his breath.  
"I've decided that…" she blew in her breath, "I'm leaving, and going back home."

Chapter 12

Hearing the news of Tiffany leaving, left him heart sick. He couldn't figure out why she decided to just leave, it made no sense at all. Especially when she still didn't know… shaking his head, he listened to what the doctor was saying. Although he couldn't help but think back to the conversation they had with his dad, it wasn't all too pretty but he felt that it had to be done.  
The day before when Tiffany announced that she was leaving his dad almost blew his mind. He was furious, although Logan didn't really feel his father had a need to feel furious, it should have been him, Logan who probably should have felt it, except all he felt was sadness. But he knew that holding her back would just drive her away more, so he had said to her,  
"Are…are you sure?" and then she nodded silently, Logan had heaved in a sigh and then said to her,  
"Well, at least let us get your arm fixed and find out what's wrong with it… please…" his voice seemed like it had pleading in it and so Tiffany, not being in the mood to fight anymore said,  
"Alright, but only for a day then I'm leaving." Logan had nodded dumbly, and then he walked past her going up the stairs.  
Today when he woke up, Tiffany was already up and about in the house. Although he could tell she was in some pain, she was still determined with all her might that she'd get everything done. So he went up to her while she was turned away and touched her shoulder, then felt her jump slightly,  
"Oh… you scared me." She said pulling some of her chestnut brown hair behind her ear,  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just came to tell you that you don't need to work today; you've got a hurt arm! And not only that you're…" he swallowed, "Your leaving to go back home…" he sighed then said once again, "but before you leave I'm taking you to the hospital!" Tiffany had nodded then went up to the attic to her room.  
While she was up there, Logan's father and him had a big discussion about it.  
"She will NOT leave!"  
"Dad! She can leave, we have nothing to hold her back!"  
"She will Not leave! I paid for her fair and square, and the only way she's leaving is when I release her!" Logan stared at him with his jaw open,  
"Dad are you losing your mind? We never paid for her! In fact do you remember that this whole "slaves" thing is all an illusion? I cannot believe that you are acting as if you really do own her!" his fists were clenching now and his father's face went into a state of shock then suddenly stood up off his chair, making it crash to the ground,  
"How dare you speak to me that way. I paid for her, and I Will not let her leave! And that's Final!" Both Logan and his father were clenching fists, but his father was breathing heavily. That's when his mother interfered.  
"Honey, why don't you remember? We never actually paid for her, remember? It was just what we were ordered to do. Pretend that we actually did." His father looked from him to his mom. He looked confused as if he was just barely remembering,  
"I… I do remember…" he walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs massaging his temples, then went to his room and quietly closed the door.  
Logan looked to his mother and she shrugged then sighed, he knew then that Deraj did something to his father, but he wasn't sure what. Then he heard a sound coming from upstairs and saw that it was Tiffany with a sad look on her face, and I blushed,  
"Did you hear everything?"  
"No, just your father yelling…" I sighed and then waved my hand at her,  
"Come on, we best be off and see what's wrong with your arm." She nodded, then walked down the stairs dressed in the same clothes as when she had arrived.  
Now, as they were at the hospital waiting in the X-Ray room, Tiffany asked,  
"That leader guy didn't really explain everything to me… you know about kidnapping me… why did he just have me sold, and then leave me along for a couple months? Why couldn't he get me when he actually needed me?" tears were pricking her eyes,  
"I'm sorry Tiffany, so very sorry. He didn't need you when he kidnapped you but when he did need you it would be right then and there. He had something else planned for you yesterday, but he never got to it." Tiffany looked at him strangely,  
"What else was he going to do?" this is where Logan gulped,  
"Well uh, after we all got done… uh ya know, with our business for you, he was going to take you downstairs and give you an offer. He was gonna give you two choices…" he hesitated even more,  
"What were they?"  
"One, you could marry him and uh… have his children, or two… he would kill you if you didn't accept it." Tiffany sat there in the wheel chair they brought her in to X-Ray, looking stunned then said to Logan,  
"And you were… going to comply with this plan?" she squeaked,  
"What? Are you kidding Tiffany? I was going to try and get you out of there! But you sorta foiled my plan when you got yourself out of there." He smiled proudly as if he had taught the trick to her, and she laughed lightly,  
"Well, I was in a state of shock, I still am, I couldn't believe you just let them take me…" Logan's smile then left his face and he looked down at the ground from where he was standing,  
"I know… I'm so sorry Tiffany! I would have but… I was afraid of Deraj…"  
"Who?"   
"Deraj, the name of the leader, anyways I was afraid of what he would do to me although I should have thought more of what he was going to do to you…" he kept his face down in shame, not able to look up at Tiffany,  
"Oh I see…" then the doctor came in,  
"So doctor, how bad is it?" he put up some pictures on the special wall and then pointed the spot out,  
"Well, it looks like you have a fractured elbow so you'll need to wear a cast for about 3-4 weeks. Come back in about three weeks from now." Tiffany hesitated,  
"Um well, the thing is, I won't be here." The doctor looked up from the paperwork he was looking at,  
"Well if that's the case, go to a hospital near you and have them look at it, and tell them that you were looked at, at the Millstone Hospital." She nodded and Logan shook hands with him, waited for the doctor to put the cast on Tiffany's arm, then they left the Hospital and entered Logan's Black Shining Truck.  
"Logan, there's one more thing I've been meaning to ask you, but I always kept forgetting… where the heck are we? I mean, it looks to me as if we are in the middle of the desert."  
"Well the truth to that is, we are. We are in the desert in Utah." Tiffany almost chocked on her own spit.  
"What? You mean… we've been in Arizona the Whole time?" Logan nodded gravely.  
"But… but if we are in Arizona, then… why was I sold? They don't have slaves in the north."  
"The thing is… Deraj gathered up some people forcing some to join along, and we built a small town in the middle of the desert." Tiffany just sat there and "Unbelievable," was all she sad, but it was said with amazement. Logan glanced at her the looked back at the road concentrating at driving and listening to her,  
"What's so unbelievable about it?"  
"Because… I live in Utah!" she put her hand on her forehead shaking; "I'm closer to home than I ever imagined! Man! Why didn't I just run away when I had the chance? I could have been home, home with my family…" tears began to fall down her face,  
"I'm so sorry Tiffany, I really am, but… I'm glad you didn't run away I would have missed you… more than just a little," he said quietly, "I don't really understand what your going through…"  
"No, no you don't! You've got no idea!" she sniffed, wiping at her face which didn't help seeing that her tears wouldn't stop coming.  
"Man, why am I crying? I've held them back, held all my sad feelings back, not wanting to show… why now?"  
"Tiffany it's ok to cry, in fact it's good for you,"  
"Logan, I've kept all my sad feelings pent up and hidden even from myself, refusing to let them show themselves, especially around you… so why now? Why?" she sat there crying trying to wipe away her tears with her one arm but failing miserably. Logan couldn't handle it, he couldn't handle seeing her crying, he wanted to hug her and make all the sad feelings go away, he hated seeing her like this.   
"Tiffany, is there anything that I can do right now?" it took a few moments but finally tiffany answered, still sniffing,  
"Just take me to the train station, so I can buy a ticket and go home…" she said quietly. Logan nodded, and neither of them spoke the rest of the time.  
An hour later, they arrived at the train station. Coming to a stop in one of the parking spaces close up, Logan said,  
"Here, let me give you some cash so you will have enough money to get the ticket and maybe some food if you get hungry," Tiffany took the money not noticing how much it was until a few seconds later,  
"Logan I can't take this, this is too much money!"  
"No, you must take it! $200 dollars is about what you'll need, and besides it's a gift from my mom. She wanted you to have it." Tiffany sighed and said quietly,  
"Alright, I will take it…" Tiffany said unwittingly, then she opened the door, struggling a little to get out but handled it well. Before she shut the truck door Logan almost yelled out,  
"Hey uh, I told my mom I might be going with you, so it would be alright if I came along to make sure you got home safely." She shook her head,  
"I'd rather that you didn't, I can get home safely now that the Leader or what ever his name was isn't alive anymore," Logan looked at her seriously,  
"We don't know that for sure Tiffany, he may have lived. There's always a chance," she rolled here puffy red eyes,  
"More than likely he did die. Please don't worry Logan, I will be fine!" Logan sighed then answered in a small tone, almost as if he was about to cry,  
"Alright Tiffany, I'll try not to worry, but I can't guarantee that I'll succeed." He bowed his head, and then said one more thing,  
"Tiffany I… will I ever see you again?" Tiffany shook her head although his head was still bent and couldn't see,  
"No Logan, I don't think we will…" Now it was his turn to cry, and he did, not caring whether she saw or not which he thought that she probably did even though she didn't say anything except "goodbye" and the shutting of the truck door.  
For a long time after he watched her go into the train station, Logan sat there in his truck thinking about all that was said, especially the very last thing. He didn't want her answer to be no, in fact he was hoping it might just as well be a definitely, and she didn't even give him a maybe. Feeling depressed, he started the truck and left for home.

She couldn't handle seeing Logan cry because it made her doubt that maybe she shouldn't go home, but then reality settled over her and she realized that… she was going home! She was so excited that she was anticipating waiting for the train to come. That is, after she had gone into the building and down some stairs and bought her ticket at the box office, she couldn't help but pace back and forth nervousness and excitement in her stomach. Although she couldn't help get the feeling that something was wrong, that when Logan had mentioned that maybe the Leader guy, whatever his name was, was still alive she began to think it might be true.  
Shaking her head to get rid of her thoughts, she heard the train coming. Hurrying fast, she ran up near the tracks waiting for the train to stop so she could get a ride home. Unfortunately, although she was in Arizona, the train didn't take her all the way to where she needed to be to get home. It was about halfway to where she needed to be. First she had to stop in St. George, then she had to take the next train all the way up to South Jordan, and then… on to home. Finally the train stopped, and she huddled on with just the clothes on her back and the one hundred and seventy-five dollars in her pants pocket. Breathing in and out deeply she sat there on the train not able contain her excitement bouncing her legs up and down, making it look to everybody else around her that she had some sort of disease. Then, another thought came to her mind, she had forgotten to get Russell and tell him the truth! She contemplated going back but decided otherwise knowing that he'd probably decide to stay there. Anger surged through her veins how could he do this? She thought how could he abandon me and leave me for another girl? I don't know what I did to deserve that, everyone in school even knew that he liked me so why so sudden the change in girls in so short a time? Unwavering tears fell down her cheeks, but it didn't last long for she didn't want anybody on the train to notice her. So she sat there quietly in her seat, looking out the window since she sat by it and kept to herself not daring to talk to anybody. Until, a very young man sat down next to her. He was handsome, had short dark brown hair that was clean cut like a Missionaries, his cloths were nice looking and very modest and he looked to be about 20; if she didn't know better, she'd say he was a Mormon like her. She couldn't help but glance at him, it wasn't that she was starting to like him or anything like that but she could have sworn she'd seen him somewhere, like in school or on the street or something. Noticing her stares at him he turned and smiled then put out his hand while introducing himself,  
"Hello there, my name is Kent." She took his hand and shook it,  
"Tiffany," she said giving him a fake smile.  
"It's nice to meet you Tiffany." He stared at her for a second then said,  
"Excuse me but um… have we met before?" she looked at him surprised,  
"Well, I don't think so, but I can't deny that I was thinking the same thing."  
"Huh, weird, I wonder why we would both think the same thing," she shrugged,  
"I don't know, it's a mystery to me too." As she got thinking about it, she started to become more and more certain that she had seen him, but where is what she couldn't figure until a scene in her mind played out in the "town" she went to with Logan. Snapping her fingers she looked at him again, now more serious,  
"The town, that's where I've seen you, you were there when I first visited it. But, how could you have been there," dawning clicked in his eyes,  
"Yes, that's it. The town, you were there with… with Logan." Then amazement flounced in his eye,  
"You're that girl that Deraj wanted! But…he was going to kill you if… if you didn't subject to his proposal. How did you escape from him? I was lucky enough to get away; I would have thought that you wouldn't have been able to,"  
"Yeah well… you see my arm? One of his men fractured my elbow, and then I ended jumping out of a window two stories high. I'm lucky to even be alive!" His face was bowed in respect,  
"I would have done something but… I would have been killed even going near that place because I wasn't a part of the group he had organized, just part of the citizens." Tiffany shook her head in amazement and wonder,  
"Well… it's ok that you didn't do anything, and I don't blame you for not coming, and maybe it's a good thing that you didn't because the guy who claims to like me said he was there to get me out, but he said he never got the chance because I jumped out of the window, that's an experience that I'll be telling everybody for a while." She laughed slightly and then frowned, inwardly sighing.  
"Well, I'm sorry for what happened to you, but maybe we can keep in touch as friends." She smiled and then said,  
"Yeah, that'd be cool," he nodded his head, got her e-mail address and then nodded off to sleep.  
Soon, she did the same thing and fell asleep, her head lolling to one side, and when she woke up, she found that it was her stop. So she quickly got off the train, saying a quick goodbye to Kent and then walked out into the train station filled with people. When she walked out of the train station, she found herself on the streets of a town near South Jordan, except for one problem, it was dark.  
Darkness scared her at perilous times like this, so she quickly looked in a phone book that she found in a near by store, and looked up addresses for Hotels, and noticed that there was one close by, about twenty minutes away. So she called for a taxi and he drove her there. Paying him twenty-five dollars from the one hundred and fifty she had left, and walked into the hotel, and luckily for her, it was only nine o'clock and this certain hotel closed at 10:00, so she was able to get a room for the night. The hotel wasn't too fancy, but it had its perks, the room wasn't really something to bother telling about but it had a bed and sheets, and that's all she cared at the moment. Huddling into the bed sheets she quickly fell asleep, to await the new day, and the looks of her family when they saw her.   
Sitting up in bed, Tiffany realized that she had overslept, so she scrambled to get out of the bed and get the sheets unscrambled over her legs. In the process she ended up falling off the bed and landed with a thud,  
"Ow," she muttered rubbing her elbow and forehead. As she looked around, she noticed that the clock said 10:45 a.m., and she was supposed to be out of there by 11 a.m. so she quickly grabbed the room key then ran out the door pretty much slamming it behind her. Fixing her hair quickly so it didn't look like she had just woke up, she went down the hall on her left, and stopped at the elevator a few doors down, pressed the main level button and waited for the elevator to get to it's stop.  
Then something unexpected happened, the power went out. Tiffany fell on the floor and began to hyperventilate,  
"What am I gonna do?" she squeaked out loud tears beginning to prick her eyes,  
"How will I get out of here? Who knows how far down this goes!" she felt her way to the doors of the elevator and felt for the middle. Prying her fingers in between the crack, she began to pry the door open. The process was slow, and her strength weak especially when she could only use one arm, but she managed fairly well. Hardly soon enough for her, she got the door open and almost fell.  
"Whoa!" she yelled, and quickly caught her balance, then wiped her brow,  
"Phew, that was a close one," shaking her head she looked down and found out that she couldn't see anything at all, shaking a thought came to her mind, Yell and that's just what she did,  
"HELP!" she screamed,  
"PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP ME!" she did that for an hour at the most, and just when she was about to give up…  
"Hello? Is somebody stuck up there?" she made her way to the halfway opened elevator doors and looked to see that she could see someone,  
"Yes, I'm Up Here!" the guy pointed his flashlight up and saw her waving her hands furiously,  
"Hold on! We'll get you out of there in no time!" Tiffany nodded shakily then sat down on her butt. A few minutes later she heard,  
"Ok, we're putting a ladder from here up to the elevator, try and climb down it while we hold on!" Tiffany nodded then turned her body around, her face looking inside the elevator, and then put one foot on the latter, and then her other foot on the step below that and so on and so forth. Then just as she was about to hit solid ground, the ladder lost its balance and she fell, but luckily for her she twisted her body to face the opening and right before she fell down any further she grabbed hold of the floor with her only good hand. But it didn't last long for she began to slip when her rescuer's grabbed her arm and pulled her to safety.  
Gasping in and out for air and to get her bearings back together, she looked gratefully at the three men who helped her,  
"Thank you guys so much, I really appreciate the help, I don't think I would have gotten out of there any time soon," they all smiled and the guy in front put a thumbs up while winking,  
"No problem miss, just glad to help out a customer," then they started to get back to their jobs when thunder cracked outside, and since it was right above them they felt the rumble, and then not five seconds later, the lightning lit up the entire hotel, briefly showing everyone as clear as day,  
"Wow, that's some powerful thunderstorm out there isn't it?" one of the guys asked,  
"Yeah…" Tiffany nodded numbly,  
"Anyways, I was just on my way to check out of the hotel," she checked her back pocket for the key, grabbed it and handed it to one of the guys who took it and then nodded her to follow him to the front desk,  
"I can't check you out by the computer since the power is out, but I'll write it down that you've checked out, what's your name?"  
"Tiffany Klacky,"  
"Ok, thank you very much, you are now officially checked out of the hotel," he smiled at her and she smiled back liking the guy already. But her smile soon left when she walked to the doors to leave. It was pouring rain outside,  
"Oh great, just my luck, how am I ever going to get home now?" she muttered, then she had an idea, and ran up to the clerk at the counter,  
"Um, excuse me, may I borrow a phone?"  
"Sure," he answered then handed her the phone behind his desk. Quickly grabbing a phonebook near by, Tiffany looked up the number for taxi's and had one come pick her up from the hotel. It arrived half an hour later, and she ran out to the car to be as less wet as possible.   
"Driver please take me to 3364 w. Indy Way," he nodded and then drove off.  
About another half an hour later (because of the rain) The Driver drove up to her house, the rain had just barely stopped pouring, and so she didn't have to run to her the front door of her house. Giving the taxi driver twenty-five dollars, she stood there on the grass, sniffing the freshly rained air, loving the smell. Then she began walking towards her front door, and deciding that she'd like to surprise them really big, she knocked. Soon she heard people coming down the stairs and watched as whoever it was, open the door…

The guy wasn't anyone from her family in fact he wasn't even part of her relatives. Shock and disappointment was on her face, and then she mumbled,  
"Oh sorry, I must've gotten the wrong house,"  
"No, you didn't… Hey Everyone! Come See Who's At The Door!" a puzzled expression came upon Tiffany's face,  
"What…?" suddenly she heard noises from behind the guy, and saw shadows coming down the stairs right behind him,  
"Who…?" and then she heard somebody gasp,  
"Tiffany? Is that really you?" and then her mother emerged from behind the guy crying softly, and tears began to flow in her eyes as well,  
"Mother?" she said her voice shaky. Her mother nodded the tears flowing down her cheeks, and she gave tiffany a big bear hug saying,  
"Oh my daughter, my dear, dear daughter is home! I can't believe it you're here!" her mother kept pulling her back at arms length and then hugging her, over and over again she did that process disbelief in her eyes,  
"Mom, I'm so glad I'm home, I've missed you so much!"  
"Me too honey, me too!" then she saw her dad behind her mother,  
"Dad?" He nodded too, tears coming down his cheeks also. Then she saw her sister, who had also begun to cry, and then she waved them over and they gave each other a big group hug, laughing and crying at the same time, and all getting wet by the pouring rain. Then all of a sudden, Tiffany realized that there was another family waiting just inside the house.  
"I'm sorry to break up this happy reunion but… could you by any chance, tell me what happened of Russell?" it was his mother, and she had sad tears in her eyes. Suddenly, Tiffany became very serious,  
"I'm sorry but… Russell… he stayed behind because… because he found someone else that he… he loved," Tiffany wrenched out. She supposed that she still had feelings for Russell but those were decapitating quickly,  
"What do you mean?" Tiffany sighed,  
"What I mean is, Russell fell in love with his master… and just… totally blew me off in my time of need, I'm not sure if that sounds selfish but… he didn't look too disappointed… I'm sorry that he's not here, but he's probably figured it out already that…" then realizing where she was getting into she stopped mid-sentence, fearful of what might happen if she told so soon,  
"Figured what out already?" Russell's mother asked,  
"Look, I can't really speak of it right now, can we go somewhere where we won't be over heard?" his mother nodded and went back into the house, crying soft tears of pain. Tiffany sighed then turned and looked at her family and smiled,  
"Well, shall we go and celebrate for the few minutes we have?" her mother and father both smiled and nodded,  
"Of course honey, today is your day!" her mother said quietly but happily. She smiled, and then gave them all one more big hug, when suddenly the guy who opened the door said to them,  
"Um… excuse me, but um, I was wondering if we could film you guys and your happy reunion?" Tiffany looked at him strangely,  
"Are you kidding, at the moment, my family is all I want to concentrate on," That and I have to tell Russell's family what happened of him she added to herself, then walked into the house past the news guy and up her stairs then sat on the sage brush comfy couch that looked to her like it was just bought. But her amazement at the couch soon disappeared when she saw the looks on Russell's family's faces,  
"So, will you please tell us what happened of our son?" the mother said shakily,  
"Yes…" but before she went on any further, she kicked the news people out of her house and locked the door to make sure that they couldn't get back in, then sat back on the sage brush couch, crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap like she was in royal presence,  
"Russell is back in Arizona, in the middle of the desert, where we were sold as…(gulp) as slaves. For a while he was glad to see me, then as time passed on and we didn't see each other often, I saw him and hugged him as if he were the only hope I had left, but… he broke my heart by saying that… that he loved his master… the one who supposedly bought him…" her head was bowed by the end of what she had to say,  
"So… you mean he's still back there? With his slave master?" Tiffany nodded her head slightly,  
"Yes he is but the thing is… I don't even know if he knows that it was all a trap and a trick set up for me! He wasn't really sold into slavery, and neither was I… it was all an illusion that Deraj, the leader of the guys who kidnapped us, portrayed because he had some "unfinished business" with me…" he voice drifted off into oblivion, and waited in anticipation for Mrs. Jackson to reply. Finally after what seemed like hours but was only a few minutes she said with new tears coming down her cheeks,  
"If… if you weren't sure if he knew or not then… why didn't you go back and get him?" Tiffany sighed,  
"I was on the train by the time I remembered, and my ride had long gone, there was no way I would have been able to tell him, and then try to convince him and then be back here by this time… I know that I probably could've waited a little longer but… the thing is… I'm not sure I could!" she sat there shaking, hoping that Mrs. Jackson wouldn't get horribly mad. And she was right, Mrs. Jackson did nothing but nod then stood up,  
"Well… I suppose we should head on home… don't you think dear?" she said to her husband who was sitting there the whole entire time. Then he stood up nodding his head emphatically and then as soon as they were in there talking, the two were gone, leaving Tiffany and her family to sit there in amazement and utter confusion.  
"What just happened?" Tiffany asked anyone who would answer,  
"I'm not sure honey, but… I think that you hurt them deeply." Her father said, she smiled to herself he always has wise words! She thought but it didn't last long because she couldn't keep her mind off of Russell. I should have gone back to get him she thought angrily to herself he would be here happily with his parents and family! Oh why oh why didn't I go back and get him? But in her heart she knew. She was afraid to face him again, afraid that he wouldn't want to come back, and afraid that he would just hurt her emotionally even worse than he already had, so she didn't go back and she left him there.  
Then determination filled her soul,  
"I MUST go back!" she said aloud and finding herself standing up off the couch. When she looked at her parents they had disbelief on there faces,  
"No honey! You can't go back! You just got here! Please, don't leave us again!" her mother begged, making Tiffany laugh tiredly,  
"Mom, I won't be going alone! You guys will be coming with me!" she looked at all three members of her family,  
"Right…?" her mother sighed then said,  
"But honey, look at you, you have a hurt arm!" the look of surprise came upon Tiffany's face as she remembered that her elbow was fractured, and as if she had been on medication and the effect was wearing off, her arm began to hurt,  
"Oy, I forgot about my arm," she said wincing a little.  
"Honey, you should have that looked at, what if it's broken?"  
"I've already had it looked at…mm… my elbow is fractured! It kind of hurts." Her parents just looked at her with wide eyes,  
"Oh honey, how could that have happened?" Tiffany looked at her watch,  
"Can I explain it all later? We must go and get Russell right now!" her mother sighed,  
"Ok… go get your coat Charley you will want to be warm," Charley got a puppy dog look on her face,  
"But mom, it's going to be hot in Arizona!"  
"Well, have a coat for on our way! It's not going to be warm here you know! It's raining cats and dogs out there!" Tiffany laughed, loving being back, and loving her mothers sense of humor, then a thought came to her mind,  
"Mom, let's go to the train station! Because I forgot that I don't know how to get there driving! I think I'll know better on the train!" her mother stared at her for a second then smiled softly,  
"Ok dear, I guess we'll go to the train station! I just hope the cost isn't too high!" she smiled a gumpy smile and Tiffany laughed,  
"Mom, your crazy!" she shook her head then said once again, "Well, let's go, I want to get home as soon as possible! But at least there's a bright side to all of this,"  
"What is that?" her father asked,  
"I don't have to speak to reporters or policemen any time soon!" her parents laughed, but her sister just rolled her eyes,  
"Let's go!" Charley said, and they were soon in the car and on there way to the train station and headed to Arizona.

After Tiffany left, things were dreary in Logan's house. Everybody seemed to have some sort of gloom on there faces, making it seem that they were only truly happy when Tiffany was there. And although Logan didn't know it, that reason was pretty much true, but pretty much for him. When she left everything went to the way it was, him hanging out with Peter and Amy, although Amy didn't talk much anymore (and neither did he), but he didn't mind, he didn't like her that much anyways, but in the back of his mind he kept thinking about Tiffany, like she was always in his head, especially the very last sentence she said to him, telling him that they'd probably more than likely never see each other, it had made him pretty depressed. Every time he thought of her with great depth, tears would start to form in his eyes but he never let them pass all the way down his cheeks.  
The next day at school (school had started a week ago) everybody kept asking him what was wrong with him, but they never got an answer because he just ignored them, even the teachers who he thought were asked by students to ask him how he was doing. And yet still he didn't answer them, because the main reason was he couldn't stop from daydreaming, mainly about someday seeing Tiffany again.  
Finally during his 6th period class, calculus, Amy who sat right next to him asked,  
"Logan, what's up with you today? You have hardly said anything all day!" but her answer from his was a shrug. Sighing in frustration she shook her head muttering and went back to the assignment they had for the day, but every once in a while would glance at Logan.  
After a long day, school finally let out. When Logan got home, he went straight to his room and lay on his bed with his eyes closed and he ended up falling asleep dreaming.  
In his dream, he dreamed that he was floating along a cloud. It was floating him places, or scenes of people, and a couple scene's in particular that he remembered happened in real life, the others he had no clue as to where they came from. The first scene he saw himself meeting Tiffany for the first time, and he saw the look in her eyes the seemed to him to be pure hatred and defiance. The second scene was of Amy and Tiffany, Amy picking on Tiffany and telling her never to speak to him again. The third scene was of Tiffany with her family and the happy reunion and, he saw, that her elbow was broken. The fourth scene was of him and Tiffany being happily married in some sort of building which he couldn't figure out what it was. The fifth scene was of Deraj standing up out of the ditch that they had fell into when the cars had swerved, and watched him looking at the car grumpily and muttering to himself. And finally the sixth scene was of him and Tiffany along side each other, and then it showed there children, and there children's, so on and so forth. Right after the last scene of his dream ended he woke up in his house to find that it was nearly dusk and that someone was knocking on his door. He soon found out who it was,  
"Honey, are you ok? You've been in there all day since school got out!" his mother said worriedly,  
"Yes mom, I'm fine. I just fell asleep." Logan practically yelled, then heard his mom sigh,  
"Ok, well… I was just checking in on ya." He heard his mother leave, and then a few minutes later she came back, once again knocking on his door,  
"Yes?" she opened it and poked her head in,  
"Honey, your friends have come over and said that you haven't done any talking at all. Now it's not just them that have noticed it, I have and so has your father. Honey, we are worried about you, are you sure you're okay?"  
"Yes mom, I'm fine, really. I've just been a little depressed since… well… you know…" he stuttered out, not able to say Tiffany's name. His mother sighed,  
"Yes, that's what I thought this was all about. Look dear, you don't need to worry, you'll see her again someday!"  
"Mom, you were there when we said goodbye! When I asked her if we'd ever see each other again, she said probably more than likely not." Sighing, he rolled over on his stomach, "I hate feeling this way!" his mother gave a small smile behind his back,  
"I know you do son. That's just what it's like when you're in love." He looked at his mom curiously,  
"Are you sure mom? I mean… how do you know for sure that this is what it is?" she smiled softly,  
"Because this happened to me once, well, not the same way it has for you but it's somewhat similar," she and Logan both laughed a little, then Logan gave her a hug feeling a little better,  
"Thanks mom. For everything,"  
"Your welcome honey," she kissed his head then right before she left his room she turned around with her hands on her hips and said,  
"Clean up this room! It's a mess!" she smiled then left the room. Laughing, Logan looked around at his room, with the clothes on the floor, the small indent by his window where his bean bag chair sat and the TV right by it, the ladder leading up to another part of his room, which in retrospect, was practically near the attic, where Tiffany had slept. Then he glanced at his walls, they were a dark blue with a lining of green. As his eyes swept all the walls he came upon a picture of Tiffany outside in the backyard picking fruit. He had taken it without her knowing, and he cherished the picture dearly, but alas he didn't think he'd ever see her again. Sighing he fell on his bed, trying to fall asleep again but not getting there, so he went downstairs to occupy himself until a thought came to him,  
"Mom, I'm going to walk around the shops, I'll be back sometime today," he told her once he was in the kitchen and saw her in there cleaning. She turned to him,  
"Ok son, but please be careful! Oh and One more thing, now that Deraj is gone, and Nikki is gone, we have to move back to our real home. Ok?" he sighed then said,  
"Ok mom, I guess so. I don't understand why we can't just live here, but ok. Oh and mom, Nikki's real name is Tiffany!" his mother smiled and had a glow in her eye. Then he left to go walk around all the outsides stores.  
While walking around he noticed some of the girls shops, and remembered the time when he took Tiffany shopping at one of them and how she… No he thought I will not think about her! It's too painful. Shaking his head he went on, looking about the shops and stores, not really noticing anybody, even when his friends saw him and started to talk to him, he still didn't respond, in fact he didn't really actually see them. His mind was clouded and he could hardly think about anything except the one person he didn't want to think about. Until an image came across his view, he quickly spun around to see the person passing him by and recognized him as…  
"Russell!" upon hearing his name, Russell turned toward Logan. When he saw who it was that was calling his name his face instantly became angered.  
"What do you want?" Russell said almost snottily,  
"I wanted to talk to you," Logan said,  
"Oh? About what?" Russell said, a little accusingly while folding his arms in the process which made Logan begin to become uncomfortable,   
"Well… about Tiffany," surprise registered on Russell's face then sadness,  
"What about her?" Russell said now slightly confused,  
"Well… didn't she come and say goodbye to you?" now the confusion on Russell's face was more vivid,  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well… um, don't you know?"  
"Know what?" Russell said truly confused and Logan sighed,  
"Tiffany is gone, she went back home." The shock of it was so sudden that Russell's knees went weak,  
"What do you mean? She couldn't have gone home, you're her master,"  
"Technically… I'm not, and neither is your master actually your master…"   
"What are you talking about? Of course she is, her family bought me for heaven sakes!"  
"No, they didn't! It was all an act Russell!" sighing and growing frustrated Logan practically yelled,  
"Forget it," then was about to walk off,  
"Wait! How is Tiffany? I mean… is she ok?" Logan's eyes grew into slits,  
"I thought you didn't care about her anymore," Russell bowed his head,  
"Truth is… I… I miss her so much it's painful to think about her. I don't know how I could have thought I loved my master, but I don't… I… I think I love Tiffany…" now shock surpassed Logan's face,  
"What?" he said his voice pitchy,  
"You heard me… I made a big mistake thinking that I loved my master…" anger fell upon Logan's face,  
"Do you have any idea what you put her through? She was sick for more than a week!" concern filled his eyes,  
"I'm so sorry, I just wish that I could tell her that, but… if she's not here than… I guess I can't…"  
"Look, I'm not sure I should even be telling you this, especially after what you did to Tiffany! But, the thing is, you can go home. You don't have to stay here because you aren't really a slave, and you don't really have a master, it was all pretend!"   
"What?"  
"Yeah, it was all pretend because the Leader who did all this wanted to get back at Tiffany, and you just happened to be in the wrong moment at the wrong time." Russell stared at him with wide eyes,  
"What did they want with Tiffany?" he asked suddenly all defensive,  
"Nothing, it's too hard to explain, just… pack your bags and go." He left it at that and soon turned around leaving Russell to wonder.  
About an hour later, Logan decided that he was bored and went home, to mule on his thoughts of Tiffany and what Russell had said. Rubbing his eyes he thought how could Russell just change his mind like that? Now I'll never ever have a chance with Tiffany! No matter what happened in my dream. Man oh man, why did he have to say he still loves her? It took him a while to fall asleep, but he eventually did, and it was a night of tossing and turning, and waking up almost every hour. 

As they entered the train, Tiffany looked at the map and found where they needed to go.  
"This is where we need to go!" she said pointing to the spot on the map to her family,  
"But Tiffany, that's a long ways away. Are you really sure about this?" her father said, and Tiffany nodded her head vigorously,  
"Yes, I'm positive." Her father sighed,  
"Ok, if you are sure." Then they found a spot to sit.  
Tiffany was pretty much quiet the whole way to Arizona. Her thoughts were absorbed on thinking she might see Logan again, and what she would do if when she saw Russell again. What am I going to do? She thought, I can't face Logan again after I told him we'd never see each other again. She put her head in her hands sighing as she did so. And then, before she knew it, she had fallen asleep and an hour later she woke up with neck pain. Rubbing the back of her neck with her palm she looked at her family member's to find they were asleep.  
Laughing to herself, she looked around at her surroundings. As she was doing so she passed by someone standing near the doorway with a grin on his face staring at her. At first she couldn't believe her eyes, until she stared at him for a few minutes and was pretty sure that he was there, then she shook her head and he was gone.  
"Honey, what are you staring at?" her mother asked and so Tiffany tried to put her hand on her mother's shoulder but it was shaking so bad that it took her a few times,  
"He…he's here. I saw him, just over there! He survived the crash! But… he couldn't have…" Tiffany began to breathe in and out heavily,   
"Tiffany, calm down. I'm sure it's just your imagination. You'll be fine." Her father said in a soothing tone,  
"No, he's here! I saw him. But I don't understand how he could be here. He fell off the edge in the car! He couldn't have just got up and walked out! It's not possible!" Feeling scared, Tiffany just sat and stared off into space tuning out her father's comforting arm, and her mother's comforting words. Then before she knew it, she woke up to find she had been sleeping on her dad's lap, who was sitting next to her, the whole night and just as she sat up she heard the Train blow it's enormous horn.  
"Well… it looks like this is our stop." Her mother said, and they all stood up. Tiffany rubbed sleep from her eyes, then walked off the train and into the busy station packed with people.  
"It looks like we are almost to our destination."  
"How much farther do we have to go now Tiffany?" her sister Charley asked,  
"Well… I would say about forty-five minutes to an hour, unless we speed drive, then about a half an hour." She laughed, and rubbed her sister's head,  
"It's so great to be back!"  
"Yes it is it is so great to have you back. We missed you a lot Tiffany," her father said hugging her,  
"I missed you to dad," she answered hugging him back,  
"When we get home though, I've gotta call Caiti, I haven't talked to her in so long," Tiffany said as they began walking out of the train station. Her mother smiled,  
"I think Caiti would appreciate that. You two are such great friends," then suddenly as if Tiffany's brain had been clicked back on her face became grim,  
"Mom, dad, was the funeral for Grammy good?" every smile left their faces,  
"The funeral was great honey, although it was really hard not to have you there, we were going to have you be a speaker because we know how much Grammy meant to you. It was so hard to go on with that funeral knowing you were gone," a tear came to her mother's eye,  
"I was so afraid you might be dead, but the Lord kept telling me that it wasn't true and that everything would be alright. Every time I felt you were dead I went to him, he helped me not to lose my faith, and did what I was told and… he brought you back home to us... alive." Tiffany smiled at her mother.  
"I know…" she punch her dad playfully, "See, I told you if I took karate it would pay off!" her father grinned wide.  
"Yeah I guess so." He laughed and shook his head, then they all stopped outside of the front doors heading into the train station.  
"Well… now all we need is a car," Tiffany answered there unasked question, then she thoughtfully thought of the money Logan had given her, she still had some left,  
"Mom dad, how much does it cost to rent a car?" Her father thought for a sec,  
"Well… I would say about… Fifty Dollars," Tiffany smiled,  
"Well then, what do ya'll say we go rent ourselves a car eh?" she grinned, then saw a phone booth and looked in the Yellow Pages for car rentals. But she soon found that the place was farther than they could walk in a day,  
"Well… there goes that idea," Charley said. Tiffany raised an eyebrow.  
"Maybe, but we can still call a taxi." Charley rolled her eyes while smiling,  
"Yeah I guess so," Tiffany rubbed her sister's head,  
"You are a weird one. Ya know that?"  
"Yes!" Charley said proudly. Tiffany laughed,  
"I am so glad you are my sister." They kept walking on, Tiffany chuckling and trying to push Charley, and Charley laughing then pushing Tiffany back.  
"You two are unbelievable." Tiffany's dad said,  
"Well, that's our job dad!" Charley chimed,  
"Yeah dad, ya better get used to it! Although I don't know why you haven't yet!" she winked and then waited for Tiffany's mom to come back from calling a taxi.  
About ten minutes later, the taxi arrived, and they all scrunched in.   
"Where too?" the taxi driver asked,  
"Um… uh… well… can I just give you directions?" The taxi driver raised an eyebrow but nodded his head.  
Finally they were off to there destination, with Tiffany giving the taxi driver directions, and instead of it taking forty-five minutes to an hour, it took about an hour in a half. But finally they made it to the town that was so familiar to Tiffany,  
"Boy, I promised myself I'd never come back here. But here I am," Tiffany said, shaking her head amazingly,  
"This is new, I've never been here before," the taxi driver said but shrugged it off. They got out of the taxi, and Tiffany paid the guy, then he drove off, never to see them again.  
As Tiffany took a look around she thought she saw people she had seen. Wow, this is so weird to be here, even though it's only been two days since I left, it's… weird. She thought kinda like I've been gone for a year or so. Shaking her head she decided to concentrate on what was going on in front of her, instead of thinking tons of thoughts, but that didn't last long for she saw someone she had vowed she'd never see again. It was Logan. As she looked at him closer she saw he had bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in a long time. The more she thought about it the more she couldn't help but think it was her fault he was acting like this. I thought that if I left he'd forget about me, and move on. I didn't really think he meant it when he said he loved me… Feeling guilty she felt that she should go talk to him, but just couldn't bring herself to do it. So she shifted her gaze to some place else, hoping that Logan would see her and yet not wanting him to see her.  
Then as if her half dream had come true, she heard her name being called out by none other than Logan. But instead of turning around and saying "Logan, it's so good to see you," she didn't look back and kept on walking. Her mother glanced at her than asked,  
"Is that Logan that's calling your name? If it is I think you should go see him," Tiffany sighed,  
"Mom, I can't go see him, I told him we'd never see each other again!" her mother raised an eyebrow,  
"Haven't you ever heard that whenever you meet someone you'll always see them again later on in life?" Tiffany gave a mock laugh,  
"You don't really believe that do you mom?"  
"Why of course I do!" her mom said offended,  
"How do you believe that? It's just superstition!"  
"Nah, it's not superstition, and ya wanna know why?" Tiffany shrugged,  
"Sure, why not,'  
"Well, it's because it's happened to me before! I met someone when I was oh say… eight years old and then… when I turned sixteen, eight years later, he moved into my neighborhood! And now look what happened… we're married and had two beautiful children!" Tiffany's eyes went wide,  
"You two didn't see each other for eight years and then one day by chance dad moved into your neighborhood mom? Now that's pure luck!" she laughed shaking her head then jumped as she felt a tap on her shoulder and then,  
"Tiffany?" instantly she froze up. It was Logan who was right behind her, and feeling his touch on her shoulder gave her chills. Turning around quickly she gave a quick small smile at Logan then began to say very nervously,  
"Uh, Logan… Hi… How are you?"  
"Tiffany? What are you doing back? I thought you went home!" Tiffany turned and looked at her family,  
"I did. As you can see my mom, dad and sister are here with me!" still confused Logan asked,  
"Ok… if you went home, why'd you come back?" Tiffany looked at him strangely, thinking there was a tone of excitement in his voice,  
"Uh…well, because we came back to get Russell! It was rude of me not to get him, his mother was so very sad and crying when I got home, I just had to come back and get him." Logan's face through Tiffany's whole sentence went from anger to sadness to relief. Tiffany gave him a weird look after finishing what she was saying then asked again,  
"Do you know where Russell might be? I need to find him!" again Tiffany saw the look of anger come upon Logan's face again,  
"Yeah, yeah sure. I don't see why he needs to go home except for his mom but whatever…"  
"Logan, what's gotten in to you?" Logan looked past her and at her family who were all staring at them,  
"Can we go somewhere private and talk?"  
"Uh ok…!" He grabbed her arm and walked off although Tiffany made sure she was able to see her family while they talked.  
"Ok, so what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"  
"Tiffany, I saw Russell a few days ago and…" he blew in his breath as if he was afraid to say what he was going to say, "And, he said that…he loves you!" Logan flinched saying the word Love, but then waited for Tiffany's reaction. Her reaction was that of pure shock.  
"What are you talking about Logan? Don't even joke about things like this!" Logan grabbed her shoulders than looked in her eyes,  
"Do you really think that I'd be joking about something like this?" he sighed then let go of her, "I also have some other news that I need to tell you pronto!"  
"What is it?" Logan hesitated for a moment,  
"Well…"  
"Yes…?"  
"You see… Deraj… well… I don't think he's dead! I think he lived," fear creped into Tiffany's eyes,  
"What? But… he can't be alive! We saw him go over that cliff!" Logan, now exasperated, answered with a deep boom in his voice,  
"I know that! This is definitely something I wouldn't lie about! I… I care about you too much to do that to you Tiffany! Why can't you see that?" tears formed in her eyes,  
"Logan, I… its just way too sudden! I'm only seventeen! Well almost eighteen, and… I've still got to go to college and all that stuff, anyways… I'm rambling and freaked out and amazed all at the same time and…" she looked in his eyes now,  
"And, all I have to do right now is find Russell and go home." She turned and was about to walk away,  
"I'm so sorry Logan, but… even if you did love me and I loved you I wouldn't be able to marry you…" confusion set on Logan's face,  
"Why?"  
"Because I want to be married in the Temple,"  
"The Temple…? What's a Temple?"  
"It's a place where people of my religion go to get married and to be sealed for all eternity! You'd have to talk to missionaries of my religion to get more information."  
"Really? Well, where can I find these missionaries of your religion? What's your religion anyways?" shock was evident on Tiffany's face,  
"Why are you suddenly so interested in my religion? It's not just so you can marry me is it?"  
"Well… that may be part of it…" Tiffany put her hands on her hips,  
"Well, if that's the only reason Logan, then don't bother taking the discussions with the missionaries!" She turned and began to walk away when Logan grabbed her shoulder,  
"Wait! I didn't mean it like that it's just… well… it's only some of the reason because I really truly do love you Tiffany! I've been miserable these past two days knowing what you said to me! I just don't understand why we can't be together!"  
"I already told you Logan. But if you really want to take the missionary discussions on my religion then… give the missionaries a call! Oh by the way, my religion is Mormon!" surprise came upon Logan,  
"Mormon? I've heard of them! Don't you guys practice Polygamy?" suddenly out of no where Tiffany began to laugh,  
"Are you kidding? Hahaha! That's the silliest thing I've ever heard! Of course we don't practice that! In fact my religion is totally against it!"  
"Really?" Logan though for a moment, "Well, why don't I just give those Missionaries a call! Oh and one more thing Tiffany,"  
"Yes?"  
"Please be careful! I just know that Deraj is out there looking for you, and I'm pretty sure he won't hesitate to kill you!" Tiffany nodded then left, going back to her family who was watching her intently.  
"So, what happened?" Tiffany's mother asked,  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, it looked like you two had a pretty good discussion, what was it that you two talked about?"  
"Mom! Let's not talk about this right now ok?" Tiffany said laughing a little,  
"Alright, but you better tell me later on!"  
"Hehe, ok mom, I will!" then all of a sudden Charley blurted out,  
"Tiff's got a boyfriend, Tiff's got a boyfriend!"  
"Aw shush up ya weirdo!" Tiffany said ruffling Charley's long brown hair with Charley laughing.  
Then all of a sudden, Tiffany heard a voice coming from behind them, except this time it wasn't Logan's voice, it was another one. One that she recognized from a long time ago,  
"TIFFANY! Hey Tiffany Wait Up!" Tiffany and her whole family turned around to face,  
"Russell?" Tiffany stood there in total shock,  
"Russell, how did you find me? I mean… I was looking for you…"  
"I know, Logan saw me and told me you were, at first I didn't believe it then he pointed in this direction and… I saw you!" tears were starting to fall down his cheeks,  
"I thought something bad might have happened to you Tiff," he hugged her, but she instantly pulled away,  
"What are you doing Russell? What about your Lover?" she spat the word Lover, annoyed at Russell, mainly because of the disturbing news she heard from Logan about Russell,  
"Oh her? Er… well… you see, we didn't exactly end up liking each other. I thought I loved her, but really I was duped into thinking that I was! Tiff, I love you!" suddenly out of no where Tiffany slapped Russell's face,  
"Don't you dare say you love me! Not after what you did to me! I became sick because I thought you loved someone else and left me in the dust! You are a jerk Russell!" She turned around and began to stomp away leaving Russell to stand there stunned looking at her family, when she suddenly turned back and passed them saying,  
"Excuse me, but we have to take you back to your family! That's the only reason why we…I came back Russell! Nothing more!" then she stomped ahead of them, leaving them feeling awkward while walking behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, Tiffany thought she saw Deraj, the leader of the scary group of people, but shrugged it off, and kept on walking, keeping her distance away from Russell.

Chapter 14

Walking away from Tiffany was one of the hardest things Logan had to do. When he saw her a feeling inside his bosom was so strong and radiant he knew that Tiffany was the girl he was supposed to marry, but he knew that it'd be harder for her to feel that way. Sighing in agony, he began to ponder what little she had told him about the Mormons, her religion. He had heard of that religion before and heard rumors that they practiced polygamy. When he found that out he became flustered, and angry that this religion could teach them that it was ok for guys to marry more than once. Although he probably wouldn't mind having more than one wife he was still disturbed especially knowing that she might have been able to have more than one husband. But then when he heard her say that they don't practice it, that made him relieved.  
As he was walking he bumped into someone he never wanted to see. It was Russell.  
"What do you want Russell?" he seethed,  
"Where's Tiffany? I have to find her! I need to tell her something!" Logan lifted an eyebrow glaring at him, hoping to draw a hole in Russell's tiny little mind. He pointed behind him,  
"She's back that way. She was also looking for you." He saw hope in Russell's eyes,  
"Thanks!" he patted Logan's shoulder then ran the way Logan had pointed. Grumbling, Logan watched him run, a tad bit more then slight jealousy climbing his stomach.  
"Why I otta…" Logan mumbled, beginning to walk again. Suddenly he heard a voice,  
"Logan! Hey Logan wait up!" he turned around knowing the voice the instant he heard it.  
"What do you want Amy?" he answered almost rudely. And she gave him a quizzical look,  
"Well… I was just wondering. Now that Tiffany is out of the way, what do you say me and you hook up?"  
"Hook up?" Logan said as if it was foreign to him.  
"Yeah, ya know. Be boyfriend and girlfriend." Sighing in exasperation he told her forcefully,  
"No Amy. I will not be your boyfriend. I've told you once before, I don't like you like that. I Love Tiffany!" startled, Amy's eyes began to fill up with tears,  
"But… you, you said that after this was all over… we could hook up…" her lip began to tremble.  
"Amy, I never said that. I said that it would depend on if I felt something for you after this was over. Now that it's all over, I don't like you like that, because I love Tiffany." Sighing in sympathy he put his hand on her cheek,  
"I'm sorry Amy, but the things you did to Tiffany while all this was happening just… turned me away." He kissed her cheek, then turned around walking the way he was going before she had called his name, not wanting to see the tears silently fall down her cheeks.  
As he walked, he couldn't help but feel lonely. The girl that he loved most didn't want to be with him, and the girl that he disliked kept trying to make him be her boyfriend. His head felt dizzy thinking about all these events, but he knew that most of his sad days were over. He was so happy that he had talked to her, but still sad that he wasn't going to see her for a long time. For all he knew by the time he saw her again, she'd probably be married with kids leaving him feeling hopeless in the dust. Sighing Logan noticed that while in his slight daze his feet had taken him to his truck, so he jumped in started it and began to drive home when he noticed a familiar face pop out of the crowd; one that made him gasp and tremble knowing that Tiffany's life was in danger once again.

Marching her way towards their car, Tiffany fought back the impulse to slap Russell again. She knew though that it would be harder to do it this time because one: he would probably move out of the way and two: she had a broken arm. The broken arm made it hard for her to maneuver easily, and bumping into people was painful. Then every time she looked back she'd see Russell looking at her with sad eyes. What am I going to do about him? She thought, he is acting like his heart is shattered but that couldn't be, he said to my Face that he loved her, and now he's saying he doesn't? Shaking her head in disbelief and confusion, her mind occupied from thinking, she wasn't watching where she was going so when the crowds got heavier as they were walking into town, she didn't notice someone coming straight towards her. All she heard was "Tiffany! Look out!" and then the next thing she knew, she was on the ground in pain and shock.  
"What happened?" Tiffany quietly asked waking up a couple minutes later,   
"You were knocked unconscious." Her mother replied scared for her daughter,  
"Unconscious? But winces how?" she softly replied as she sat up,  
"Some man ran into, and by the looks of his face it looked like he was deliberately trying to do so." Shock suddenly came upon Tiffany's face,  
"Deliberately trying to knock me over…" she mumbled, then her eyes grew wide,  
"We've got to leave Now!" as soon as she said that the realization of who had knocked into Tiffany came to Russell (because he had been behind everyone, he wasn't able to get a clear view of the guy).   
Suddenly, everything went in fast motion for Tiffany. She was quickly picked up by Russell, and then he ran to the car with the others trailing behind him not caring if people were being knocked over as they went.   
"What's going on Russell? Tiffany?" Mrs. Klacky demanded once they were in the car,  
"The guy who pushed her over was the same guy who kidnapped us." Russell announced, and after he said that it was as if everyone in the car could feel the scare that came upon Mr. and Mrs. Klacky.  
About fifteen minutes later they were at the train station, ready to board. There was only one problem,  
"What do you mean you are out of tickets for that train?" Mr. Klacky said almost yelling to the Clergymen,  
"What I mean sir is exactly what I told you, there are no more tickets headed that way." And without another word the man closed the window leaving everyone feeling hopeless.  
"Now what do we do?" Tiffany, who was sitting on a bench, asked.  
"Well, we find another way to get back. Either that or we wait till tomorrow. Surely they'll have more tickets headed back to Utah tomorrow." Mr. Klacky answered,  
"Who knows," said a trembling Mrs. Klacky, and Russell looked at her with sympathy,  
"We have got to find a way back tonight! Tiffany cannot stay here!" Russell said the last part with such force that both Mr. and Mrs. Klacky were very surprised.  
"Russell, there is no way we'll get home tonight so…" Tiffany started saying when suddenly an idea popped into her head, "hey, why don't we go over to Logan's temporary home? I'm sure he will let us stay at his house! And I've been there so many times I know exactly where he lives."  
Instantly Russell's head was shaking,  
"There's no way we're going there, it's probably where He is at waiting for us!"  
Tiffany laughed,  
"Nah, I don't think he's that smart and besides, where else will we go?"  
"A hotel,"  
"Hmmm… a house where it'll cost nothing; or a hotel where it'll cost us quite a bit. I say the house,"  
"I agree," said Mr. Klacky,  
"I'm not so sure if we should go, I mean… Russell has a point. What if that guy is there?" Mrs. Klacky stated,  
"Mom, I agree with Tiffany. The house would be better than a hotel!" said Charley in a stubborn tone.  
Mrs. Klacky sighed,  
"Alright then, I guess we'll go to Logan's house to see if we can stay over for the night. Are you sure they have places for all of us to sleep?" she directed towards Tiffany,  
"I'm positive!" She said with a smug smile, then they called for a taxi, drove into town and that's where Tiffany gave the directions towards Logan's house.

It came as a surprise to Logan's family when they heard a knock on the door. But, more then that is was a huge surprise to see Tiffany and her family plus Russell the one's knocking on the door.  
"What are you doing here?" he asked Tiffany,  
"Um… we were just uh… wondering if… you would let me and my family, plus Russell, stay for the night. It seems that the train station is out of tickets heading towards Utah…" Logan's eyes slightly widened,  
"You want to stay here?"  
She nodded her head slightly, "yes, we would. That is… if it's ok with your parents,"  
"Well, of course it's ok dear. We'd be delighted to have you," Logan's mother answered, over hearing the conversation, "I'm sure the young kids would love to have you back here for a night." Tiffany blushed at the compliment,  
"Thanks." Afterward, her family shuffled in and was shown where they all could sleep. Everyone except Tiffany ended up sleeping in the basement. Tiffany slept in the same room she had stayed in when she was a "slave".  
In the middle of the night Tiffany woke up from a nightmare that shook all the way to Logan's room. He instantly bolted out of bed and ran upstairs to her room. Slamming the door open, he practically yelled,  
"What happened? Are you Okay?"  
She nodded her head, shaking a little bit,  
"Yes, I'm fine…" she mumbled. Logan gave her a quizzical look, then turned in time too see Russell bursting into the room. Instantly jealousy filled his insides.  
"What do you need Russell?" Russell looked past him and at Tiffany completely ignoring him, and anger along with jealousy surged through his veins,  
"Tiffany, how are you? Are you ok? I heard you scream." His eyes searched her, and she gave Russell a small smile,  
"I'm fine Russell. There's no need to worry. Especially since it was just a dream," Russell hesitated then turned and walked to the door saying,  
"Ok, well… I'll see you in the morning then…" he then left, with a glance at Logan.  
"Why do you like that creep?" Logan suddenly blurted,  
"What?" Tiffany, half asleep, said confused,  
"Er… never mind." Logan said quickly then shuffled out of the room before she could make him repeat what he said. Wiping his brow, he wondered how he could have ever said that out loud to her. He chided himself for being jealous when he knew there was probably nothing to be jealous about. So he went back to his room, got back in bed and fell asleep thinking of Tiffany and chiding himself for being jealous of someone he shouldn't even be jealous of.  
The next day proved to be a happy one for Logan. He woke up feeling happier then he had in quite a while. Whistling to himself, he walked downstairs into the kitchen to find his mother cooking pancakes on the stove; talking to him without looking over her shoulder she said,  
"Good morning son, did you sleep well?"  
"Sure did!" he chirped,  
"Well… someone sounds happy," his mother softly laughed,  
"I sure am mom, I sure am!"  
Suddenly they were interrupted by the sound of Tiffany coming down the stairs yawning as she did so,  
"Hi," she mumbled sleepily and Logan instantly walked over towards her almost grabbing her arm,  
"Hey, how are you doing?"  
"Good…" she mumbled, yawning again.  
"You look tired, why aren't you in bed?"  
"I couldn't sleep; had too much stuff on my mind,"  
"Like what?" Logan asked, glancing at his mother and noticed her watching them which made him blush,  
"Just stuff…" she said hesitating,  
"Hmmm," was all Logan said then went to help his mother with the cooking; but, finding that she didn't need any help sat down across the table from where Tiffany was now sitting, and watched her closely. She had her eyes closed, leaning back on the chair, and head resting on the back of the chair; her breath moving in even strokes. He couldn't help but think how gorgeous she looked, with her hair slightly messy, flowing over her shoulders. He ached to kiss her. Not some forced kiss but one that was passionately shared by her too. Every time he touched her he would feel some sort of tingle walk down his spine; it felt so right whenever he was around her. He watched her face a bit more, then noticed that she had fallen asleep. Logan got up out of his chair walking towards Tiffany. He picked her up out of her chair, and felt that tingle again, but even more then that when she wrapped her good arm around his neck, his heart pounded so hard he thought she might wake.  
As he walked up the stairs he heard some of the other's popping into the kitchen from downstairs, and could feel one of them staring at his back. He had a feeling of who it was but ignored it and didn't even look behind him, and kept on walking until he entered Tiffany's room. Setting her down on her bed he watched her, staring, wishing she could be his, but knew nothing of the sort would happen soon. Feeling sadder then he had when he woke up he took one more glance at Tiffany then walked down the stairs and back into the kitchen, noticing that her whole family was now sitting around the medium sized table. He sat down next to Tiffany's mother and examined the room. Everybody seemed to have this cloud hanging over them, so he tried to brighten things up; ignoring Russell who was glaring at him.  
"Tiffany is upstairs sleeping. She was awake for a moment and came downstairs, but ended up falling asleep again so I took her back to her bed,"  
"That's very kind of you Logan," Mr. Klacky said,  
"Yes, it was very nice of you to take her back to bed, and that your family is so generous as to let us stay here." Mrs. Klacky answered,  
"Oh it's not a problem, we have plenty of room," Came Logan's mom up behind him, looking straight at Mrs. Klacky, all the while Logan was staring at Russell, who was glaring right back,  
"So Russell, you anxious to see your family again?" he asked, and Russell just glowered even more, resenting Logan but answered in a happy voice to disguise his hatred towards Logan,  
"Actually yes I am. I haven't seen or heard from them in a long time, I want to know if they are all ok."  
"They miss you terribly Russell. It's good you're going back, your mother has been blubbering along with me. And even worse when Tiffany came home but not you," a sad look then came upon Russell's face as the thought of his mother crying her eyes out came to his mind.  
"What about the rest of my family? How are they handling it?"  
"They were devastated when they found out you were missing. But I'm sure they are feeling a little better knowing that you are alive and that Tiffany has come back to get you." Mrs. Klacky said. Russell stewed over that for a few minutes then sighed, 'That's good' was all he said and then an uncomfortable tension followed in the room when Mrs. Toger asked everyone,  
"So, who wants pancakes?"

Tiffany awoke to find herself back in bed and she had no clue as to how she got there. She remembered sitting on a chair with her eyes closed, and remembered she could feel Logan staring at her, but then… she didn't know what happened after that. Pressing her hand to her aching head she slowly stepped out of bed, but only to fall back again; not feeling too well. My head hurts too much she thought pressing her hand to her head again. She lay back down on the bed breathing in and out slowly, taking deep breaths, until she heard someone open her door. She thought about pretending to be asleep but thought otherwise and was surprised to see Russell entering the room.  
"Can we talk?" he asked,  
"Sure," she answered wishing he would just go away so she could recuperate from the headache.  
"Tiffany…" he began,  
"Yes?"  
"Um… well… I was wondering… why did you really come back to get me?" he stuttered,  
"Why? Well… I thought I had already told you… I came back to get you because your mom was devastated that you hadn't appeared there with me."  
"Is that really it? Or are you just pretending?"  
"What do you mean?" at this comment from her Russell grabbed her hand in both of his,  
"Don't you feel anything for me Tiffany? Anything?" now she realized what was going on,  
"Honestly… I don't know. I mean, you've confused me quite a bit Russell. And I think that right now, I have more feelings for Logan then I do for you." Russell's face fell,  
"I see," he said quietly still holding her hand,  
"I'm sorry Russell, I really am but… you just messed things up. Sorry to say it like that but, it's true." He nodded his head slightly then pulled his hands away from her,  
"So… that's it? I've lost?" he asked slightly trembling. She stared at him for a few moments the finally answered him,  
"Yes Russell… you've lost," He shuffled out of the room, his head lowered, feeling glum but deciding that he was gonna do everything in his power to win her back!  
Tiffany stared at the closed door, ignoring her pounding head until it became unbearable and she had to sit still, then move into another position and keep still to keep her head from hurting even worse. Finally, she was able to drift off to sleep, not a peaceful sleep, but sleep nonetheless; and when she woke up she remembered that in her dream there was a scarred hand. And in that scarred hand was a gun, and suddenly… the hand pulled back on the trigger and fired a shot; making her scream and jump awake. Suddenly there were tons of people in her room, all of which included Russell, Logan, her parents, Charley, and Logan's parents. She didn't know where the little miss and sir was though.  
"What's wrong?"  
"What happened?"  
"Are you all right Tiffany?" people from different angles practically yelled at her; she laughed a little, even though she felt tears falling down her cheeks,  
"I'm fine. Really, there's no need to worry,"  
"There's every reason to worry!" her mother stated,  
"Yeah, you just screamed at the top of your lungs! What happened?" her sister Charley asked,  
"Oh, well… it wasn't a long dream but… it was scary… I remember a hand. No, a Scarred hand with a gun in it; and then it fired. That's all…"  
"What was that?" Logan asked, "We couldn't hear you. Would you repeat that?" fearing the sensation, the feeling, and the images would come back into her mind, Tiffany shook her head and closed her eyes then noticed that they were all leaving the room. That is until she felt a hand on hers' and she opened her eyes once more.  
"Oh, hi Logan," she said quietly,  
"You look sick. Are you alright?"  
"I've got a bit of a headache, but I'll be fine."  
"You're not just saying that are you?"  
She smiled weakly,  
"I'm not, I really will be fine. I just need to sleep for a bit."  
His hand tightened on hers,  
"Tiffany, you can tell me if you aren't feeling well… I mean, I'm your friend right?"  
"Sure you are, but I really will be fine!" she hoped. He sighed,  
"Fine, if you really think that… well I must be off back downstairs. I have work to do."  
"Oh! Now that I'm gone you guys have to feed the animals huh? Sorry…" she mumbled,  
"No! It's ok, I promise!" he answered surprised, then kissed her hand and left the room, leaving a very red faced Tiffany to stare at the closed door.  
Walking down the stairs he noticed that the vibe in the room was thick once he stepped in it, and then noticed that Russell was the only one in the kitchen, glaring at him. He turned his eyes away from looking at Russell and went to get a drink.  
"I'm going to win," Russell suddenly said,  
"What?" Logan said confused,  
"I'm going to win her love back," he repeated,  
"What makes you think that? And what makes you think she doesn't love you anymore or even did?"  
"She told me," he said simply.  
"Told you what?"  
"That she doesn't love me…"  
An excitement bubble suddenly gripped Logan's stomach,  
"Who…" gulp. "Who does she love?"  
"Like I'm going to tell you," he said, low voiced and walked out of the room almost stomping.  
Logan just stared after him, not knowing what to think, and an even harder grip pulled at his stomach at the thought of who Tiffany might actually love. He sat down, trying to gather his thoughts and to loosen his stomach when his mom walked into the kitchen slightly frowning. Logan had to stare at her for a moment for the thought to enter his head,  
"You heard what he said, didn't you?" he asked and she nodded,  
"Yes, and I thought it was very rude of him."  
"I think that too but… what can we do?"  
"You can give him the talking of his life is what you can do! It's obvious that you are the one she loves Logan. That boy is just jealous of you."

Suddenly, Logan laughed,  
"You don't think I already knew he was jealous? It's very obvious by his actions. I just, don't get why we can't work this out as civilized people."  
"Maybe it's because you were Tiffany's 'Master'," his mother said quietly, and Logan had to stew about that one. What if she's right? What if he really does hate me because I was Tiffany's "master"? If she loves me, why won't she say? What's she holding back for? For some reason, the thought entered his head of her religion. Why would it be her religion? Is that what's keeping her back? He shook his head confused and then realized that while he was thinking about all that stuff his mother had left the room.  
Shrugging his shoulder's he got up off the chair and walked into the backyard. Looking at a tree he remembered one of the times when he had to come and watch Tiffany, and remembered watching her laugh and talk to her friend that she had ironically made. He laughed out loud himself remembering when she asked if they could go to the store, and then felt his face burn up in shame when he remembered what he had picked out for her to try on. Sighing, he slowly began walking the long trip back to his house, when he noticed footsteps that weren't his own.  
What the…? He thought who coulda made these... and then suddenly the thought entered his mind, he's back! She's gone! It happened so suddenly he had to blink his eyes and shake his head to try and get the thought out but again, he heard he's back and she's gone! He quickly raced back into the house and ran up the stairs, his heart beating so quickly he thought it would rip out of his chest. He ran as fast as he could up all the stairs and into the attic room. He slammed the door open hearing the loud THUD as it slammed against the wooden wall. And, when he looked around the room and spotted the bed, his heart dropped down into his stomach so sour that he thought he was going to throw up. She was gone.

Chapter 15

It happened so fast, Tiffany almost couldn't even remember everything that happened. She was lying in her bed, pretty much asleep and thought that the footsteps were in her dream, until she felt an extremely cold hand upon her mouth and nose, cutting off the circulation in her throat, and a gun pointed at her head. She started to sweat, and felt the gun pressed against her head even harder as she shook with fear, and about to pass out from air not getting in her lungs. As she looked at her kidnapper, her eyes grew wide it's him! He's here! But how did he know where I was… wait hello, he designed this place! He probably…she thought back on when she got pushed over in the crowd it was him! He knew all along where I was! He was following us! All this thought processing went through her head in a blink of an eye and soon she heard him whisper in her ear, "make one sound and you're a dead girl!" she shuddered, but silently got out of the bed, her headache practically gone from freight.  
He led her to the window in her bedroom and pretty much laughed when she saw the ladder,  
"You really expect me, ME with a broken arm that one of YOUR men made, go down that ladder?"  
"Shut up and climb down or else you're a dead girl! And don't you dare try to run away or else I will shoot you" he growled with the gun pointed at her back,  
"Ok, ok," she mumbled and began climbing down the ladder, maneuvering out of the window very awkwardly. She found that once she was out of the window she was able to climb down easier, but not quite so easy because she was shaking like a hawk.  
Finally to her relief, she was at the bottom of the ladder, along with Deraj right after her. As she looked, she could see that no one was outside, and that no one was in the kitchen… or was there? She looked closer and saw someone's back to the kitchen window, and as she looked she saw that it was Logan. Turn around! Look behind you! Please! She begged inside her head but no response came from him and she silently cried as Deraj grabbed her good arm and pulled her away. Stumbling, she almost fell to the dirt ground, but with his firm grip on her arm she was merely dragged a couple feet and then caught her footing.  
"Why are you doing this?" she finally choked out when they were about a mile away from the house.  
"Because, you have caused me much trouble, and I intend to make you pay for what you have done even worse!"  
"What worse have I caused you?" she trembled,  
"This!" he seethed out, practically yelling as he did so, then showed her his hand with which wasn't holding her arm tight. She gasped when she saw his hand, it was badly scarred. Just like in my dream! She thought staring but not believing what she was seeing. Deraj saw her shocked face and asked,  
"What is it? What do you see?"  
"Your… your hand… it was in my dream," she whispered still staring. By now they had stopped and Deraj did nothing to get them moving for a moment and watched her as she stood there with her mouth open wide. Finally getting frustrated, Deraj began to make her move her legs again and asked lowly,  
"How was my hand in your dream? What was this dream of yours about?"   
"Never mind…" Tiffany said feeling very awkward. He grabbed her arm and pulled on it very forcefully,  
"Tell me now! Tell me what the dream was about that had my hand in it!"   
Trembling and a little annoyed Tiffany finally succumbed,  
"All I saw was a scarred hand with a gun in it and the hand fired the gun! That's all!"  
"Don't get snappy with me missy!" he growled, and she almost retorted back when she realized that he still had the gun in his hand and she was in very real danger.  
What's gonna happen to me? She thought with fright how will I ever get away from him again with a broken arm? She shuddered at the thought of never seeing her family again, and even the thought of Logan briefly entered her mind. His family is so nice and were even kind to me when I was there "slave" even Logan could be kind at times. She sighed inwardly Please Heavenly Father, let me get out of this alive with no harm to me she prayed that over and over again as she was being dragged even further away from everything she knew and into the desert away from the fake town.  
It had been an hour and they were still walking. Finally Tiffany became so dizzy from not having water or any kind of beverage in that hour that she fainted for a brief moment,  
"Get up!" Deraj snapped towards her,  
"What?" she mumbled confused as to what had just happened,  
"You fainted! Now get up, we are almost there!" he replied snottily annoyed with her, so she quickly stood back on her feet and swayed for a moment.  
"Ready?" He asked impatient,  
She nodded her head "Yes," and they were off again.  
"So, remind me why you have kidnapped me for the third time?" she asked, feeling the headache already burning her mind,  
"Because you have caused me a great deal of grief and I am finally gonna make you pay for it!"  
"What are you going to do to me?" she asked afraid,  
"Oh, I don't know. Cut off your fingers until you are in so much pain that you are begging me to stop. But I won't stop because I hate you now more then I have ever hated anyone! The next thing I'll do is cut off your feet, so you'll have stubs and won't be able to walk ever again! And after that… I'll cut all your hair off---"   
"Ha, ha, my hair? It'll just grow back! Cut my hair off for all I care…"  
"You won't be laughing when you have no fingers or feet," he snapped towards her. He was trying to make her quite frightened and it was working. Tiffany began to fear for her life, and feared the pain she knew was going to come soon.  
"Why do you wish to see me in pain?" she asked softly, a tear falling down her cheek. Still keeping up a fast paced walk with a tight grip on her arm Deraj answered,  
"Because I've told you a thousand times already, you have caused me more grief then any girl should have caused me, so therefore I want you to pay for what you have done and I intend for it to happen!" She never answered him and they were silent the rest of the way, mostly because They had been walking so much that it was hard to stay focused and they had to keep their breaths for walking. So, Tiffany finally got the unwanted thinking of her destiny and how horrible it was going to end when suddenly she felt incredibly calm; so surprised at that calmness that she practically gasped. She suddenly wasn't scared anymore and knew that her Heavenly Father was watching over her, and knew that she was in great need of his comfort and help. For some reason, the thought wouldn't leave her mind that she was going to be saved because her time to leave wasn't yet; and that made her considerably happier.  
"What are you smiling about?" Deraj asked,  
"What do you mean?" Tiffany answered confused,  
"What's with that little smile on your face?"  
"I have a smile on my face?"  
"Yes,"  
"Oh, I didn't know."  
"So, why were you smiling?"  
"I already said you--- I don't know why I was smiling." Deraj thinned his eyes at her, as they were coming upon a large building out in the middle of nowhere,  
"What were you going to call me?"  
"Uh, nothing," she said a little bit too quickly,  
"Tell me… now," he seethed, hating her more then ever,  
"I was gonna call you mumble, mumble" she mumbled the last part, fearing his gaze,  
"What was that?"  
"I was going to call you a nitwit. There, ya happy now?" suddenly a hand lashed out and stung her face. She stood there, shocked, not knowing what else to do but stand there dumbfounded (for they had stopped in their tracks when he asked her what she was about to call him).  
"You dirty little skank! How Dare you!"  
"Well I didn't say it did I?" she retorted,  
"No, but you were about to!" he retorted back,  
"But I still didn't say it!" she shot back,  
"Ugh, shut up you stupid girl. I've had enough of you!" Deraj said angrily, and pulled her into the medium sized house.  
If you've had enough of me, why did you kidnap me in the first place? Tiffany thought to herself, finding it better that she stay silent the rest of the time. As she walked into the medium sized house, she saw that it looked rather homey which was incredibly odd, and rather uncomfortable. She was about to ask Deraj why it looked this way when she thought about what happened just a few moments before and decided it'd be best to stay silent.  
Deraj dragged her up some stairs, and into a small room. The room had no windows, and the only kind of furniture in the room was a chair; a plain, brown, wooden, almost small sized chair. He pulled her towards it and made her sit down, and when he found he couldn't bind her hands behind the chair, he just decided to tie some rope around her shoulders, and then tied her good hand along the side of the chair so tight that her wrist began to bleed; and after that he tied her feet together, not tying the rope as tight as tight as he did on her wrist.  
"What are you going to do with me?" she finally got up the nerve to ask,  
"Well… I'm going to put you through so much pain you'll be begging me to stop. Remember?" he chuckled to himself at what he was going to do to her then left the room, all the while she began to feel that fear trickle up her back, and into her chest, wishing that the calm feeling she had earlier would come back to her. Then she remembered why it wasn't there, she needed to pray. She closed her eyes and began the prayer in her head. Please Heavenly Father, don't let this evil man give me such excruciating pain that I won't be able to take it. Don't let me die tonight, let me live. Live and prosper. Please… please. She pleaded this prayer with all her might, and repeated it over and over again. Finally, she closed her eyes letting all of her tears of everything bad that happened to her in the past, roll down her cheeks and into her lap, not caring a bit about it.  
Around dusk she noticed that she had fallen into a dream state. Not quite asleep but not quite awake either, when suddenly the door to the pitch dark room was slammed open. She feared Deraj to the point where she was visibly shaking, and saw that he ran towards her, his gun in hand, with the light piercing her eyes. More tears streamed down her face, and she knew this was the end. This is it, she thought, this is where I'm going to die, oh why do I have to die right here? There is so much I could be doing in this wonderful world, and I so need to say my goodbyes to my family and friends. She prayed in her mind that her family would find the peace of knowing she would be in a better place, when she realized that Deraj himself was shaking. Shaking from what? She opened her squeezed tight eyes and saw two more figures standing in the doorway, and when she saw who it was, she was more certain then she had been of dieing that she was going to live. For the two figures in the doorway were Logan and Russell. 

Logan couldn't believe it. She wasn't here. She was gone. He rushed down the stairs as quickly as possible, and ran into the living room where everyone was visiting. As soon as his mother and Tiffany's mother saw him they immediately knew something was wrong.  
"What happened?" they both asked at the same exact moment,  
"She's gone!" he answered stifling a cry in his throat. As quickly as he had announced it, Tiffany's father and Russell both jumped out of their chair's screaming the word,  
"WHAT?"   
"How could this have happened?" Tiffany's mom asked in horror.  
"He took her!" he cried, "He took her and I have no idea where to look for her," he sat down in with his hands in his face, all hope of ever marrying this girl dashed.  
"We must find her." Russell said, "We can't give up!"  
"I haven't got the slightest clue where to look," Logan replied still crying, "Who took her?" asked Mrs. Klacky,  
"The one who had kidnapped us in the first place," Russell replied quietly, and Mrs. Klackys' body visibly shook in fright,  
"I may have an idea where he may have taken her…" Logan's father announced to the room,  
"How?" Mr. Klacky asked, noticing that her youngest daughter was crying,  
"I've been there before, it takes about half an hour to drive there, and an hour to walk. Well… when you're walking fast that is."  
"Why have you been there before?" Russell asked confused,  
"Because… that's where this whole mess got started. Which I'm very sorry by the way." He the last part added as a side note,  
"Do you think you would be able to lead us there?" Logan asked almost too quickly, and his father nodded his head,  
"Yes, but if we want to find her by tonight, I suggest we leave immediately; because it'll be harder for me to find the place in the dark."  
"I wouldn't have thought otherwise," Logan replied and they were off, letting Mr. Toger lead the way to their destination. Every single one of their heart's beating as they left, except for Mrs. Toger who, even though desperately wanted to go, couldn't leave because her two youngest children weren't home, which made the men come to the conclusion that Mrs. Klacky should stay home too, just in case things became horrible.  
It turned out that through some grumbling and a little fighting on Mrs. Klacky's part, she decided that it'd be best to stay home because of the danger involved and complied with the guys,  
"I don't see why it's any safer for you to go." She said as they were leaving,  
"It's not, we are just being protective honey," Mr. Klacky smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips then closed the door behind him. Logan saw the look on Mr. Klacky's face and saw the love he had for his wife. Logan knew that if they were to be son-in-law and father-in-law that they'd be great friends, but he also knew if he didn't win Tiffany's heart before Russell did… he'd have no chance of ever being with her. So he decided that he must save her before Russell did, so she would know how much he cared for her. He didn't really believe it when Russell said he loved Tiffany, it all seemed fake to him. Almost like a guy who is marrying the daughter for her parents' money. He shivered at the thought and hoped that wasn't what the reason was. As they began to walk, Logan showed them where he found the footsteps, and when he got there he saw that it wasn't just the one pare, there were two sets of feet on the ground and it was then Logan knew for sure he had her.  
"We must hurry before it gets dark, we can't let anything happen to her." he announced to his dad, Tiffany's dad and Russell,  
"Well duh, of course we have to hurry. She's in Danger!" Russell snapped. Logan just glared at him. Then an idea popped in his head,  
"I have an idea." He turned to his dad, "Dad, where are our four-wheeler's?" his dad thought for a moment,  
"They should be in our Garage. Why?"  
"I think we should use those. We'll get to the place faster then walking."  
"Yes," his dad nodded in agreement, "We would definitely get there quicker, but you have to know that it will still take us about an hour or so."  
"Whatever, we'll go as fast as we can. Let's hop to it!" Logan answered, and then ran to the garage apart from the house. When it was open, they pulled out two four-wheelers.  
"I'll ride with my dad, and Russell… you ride with Mr. Klacky." Russell nodded, happy with the arrangements. Both the father's hopped in front and turned the four-wheelers on, while Logan and Russell hopped on behind them.  
"Let's get these babies crackin'!" his dad yelled and they were on their way; Mr. Klacky following behind them.  
It took longer then they expected because Mr. Toger temporarily forgot where the house was.  
"Dad, do you have any idea where we are?" Logan yelled over the roar of the four-wheeler,  
"Yes…" pause, "No, I can't seem to remember which direction it is." Logan groaned,  
"Dad, are you Sure you can't remember?" another pause from his dad,  
"No…" he looked around from side to side then said again "I think I remember how to get there again," he turned a little to the left, and went straight. Logan closed his eyes, praying that Tiffany would be ok, and hoped that nothing bad had happened to her. It took every ounce of his strength to sit still on the four-wheeler and not scream at his dad to go faster, because 30 miles per hour was as fast as they would go and he knew his dad was trying his hardest to go faster then that, so he didn't push it.  
It was nearing dusk when they saw the house. It looked medium sized, with black wood, and shingles for the windows and roof. There were pieces of it falling off the roof, which made the house look like it was beat up. Logan shivered for two reasons. 1- Tiffany was in that house. And 2- Tiffany was in that house! It was crazy he knew to be excited that she was in there yet scared because she was in there, but he couldn't help himself. Knowing that he might be able to save her again was more thrilling then he could bear.  
"Do you think you could speed up dad?" Logan asked excitedly,  
"No, this is as fast as this puppy will go! Sorry!" Logan's disappointment was shown but no one saw because they were all concentrated on the house right in front of them, in the middle of the desert. Finally, after what seemed to take forever but more like fifteen minutes, they were stopped at the house, staring at it; that is until Logan jumped off the four-wheeler and ran towards the door and stopped in front of it, hesitant to enter. Then Russell showed up beside him also hesitant. He looked at Russell, and Russell looked at him, they nodded at each other and Logan grabbed the door, then pulled it open.  
They looked around the room, it seemed to have the living room, then lead into the kitchen. As they walked in the kitchen they noticed that by the old yellow fridge was a door. The door led to steps leading up the stairs.  
"I'm betting Tiffany is up there." Logan whispered,  
"No duh," Russell whispered back,  
"You know, you Could try and be a little nicer,"  
"Why?"  
"So we can find Tiffany and get out of here Alive!"  
"That's right, you better listen to him so you can get out of here alive." A voice said from behind them. Instantly Logan's heartbeat shot up the roof, he knew that voice. They both whirled around to find Deraj staring at them, glowering.  
"What have you done with her?" Logan seethed,  
"Why, whatever do you mean?" he asked in an all too innocent voice,  
"You know Exactly what I mean!" Logan glared, Deraj shrugged,  
"Whatever kid, look, just leave my house and all will be good."  
"Not without Tiffany," Logan seethed. Deraj's eyes' opened up in mock surprise,  
"Oh you came for her? How sweet,"  
"Where is she?"  
"Tiffany? I thought you had guessed that already,"  
"So she is upstairs?"  
"Oh! You thought she was upstairs? Ha, ha no sorry… that's not right, she's not up there," Deraj answered with the slightest bit of fear in his voice; Logan thinned his eyes,  
"I think your lying to me,"  
Deraj was starting to sweat now, which surprised Logan. Why's he freaking out? He thought this isn't like him to act like this. What's going on? In his confusion he had forgot what was happening and all too soon Deraj grabbed out his gun,  
"Get away from the door, or else I'll shoot you." The sudden change in Deraj's attitude abruptly made Logan and Russell put there hands up as if they had been caught by the cops.  
"Move over there!" he demanded towards them making his gun sort of swift to the right. They moved the way he pointed while he was growing closer to the closed door. Suddenly, Deraj made a break for it and ran as fast as he could up the stairs. Immediately Logan and Russell followed after him going up the stairs two at a time but not before they heard the voices of there dad's. Logan arrived at the top of the stairs first and saw Deraj turn to the right into another room, and then saw that door close. Logan ran towards that door, and figured that it was locked. So he turned to Russell who seemed to know exactly what he was thinking and nodded his head. They both turned towards the door and kicked it open. When they looked in they saw Tiffany, sitting on a chair with her wrist bound to it, her feet tied up, and Deraj behind her with a gun pointing at her head.  
"Go away or else I'll kill her!" he practically screamed,  
"Deraj, you don't want to kill her. Put the gun down," Logan said with a shaky voice,  
"No, I do want to kill her! You have no idea what kind of grief she has put me in! She Practically Killed Me!"  
"No… if you don't remember, it was me driving that truck. And you practically killed yourself because You were chasing after us!"   
"If She hadn't run away, I would never have chased after and I would have never gotten this scar!"  
"That's your own fault Deraj. You can't blame other people for your stupidity."  
"My stupidity? MY STUPIDITY? She is the one who ruined EVERYTHING for me!"  
"When?"   
"That's none of your concern," he snapped and pressed the guns muzzle closer to Tiffany's head. Both Russell and Logan could see her wince in pain as it began to cut her skin slightly it was pressing so hard. Logan couldn't bear to see her in this condition, and soon an idea popped into his head. He almost smiled but knew that would be a bad move, so he sat down.  
"What are you doing?" Deraj asked, a bit confused.  
"Yeah, what Are you doing?" Russell wondered,  
"Sitting down,"  
"Why?" Deraj asked,  
"That's none of your concern," Logan snapped while taking his shoe off,   
"Yes it is! Now tell me what you are doing!" Deraj demanded when suddenly the shoe was thrown and hit his head. Alright! Logan thought, a perfect throw! It was just enough too for Deraj had moved the gun away from Tiffany, and Russell immediately ran and punched Deraj in the face, making him drop the gun. Logan instantly stood up off the ground and ran towards Tiffany, who was now shaking so badly you could see her fear. He untied her hand first and saw that it was bleeding, then untied her feet.  
"C'mon," he whispered in her ear and grabbed her hand pulling her out of the room, careful not to grab her wrist. Russell was still trying to beat off Deraj and was having a tuff job with it, and feeling bad for leaving him Logan turned back,  
"Tiffany, you go outside. My dad and your dad will be waiting for you. I'm going back in to help Russell before anything worse happens to him." She nodded her head and began to move out the door the rest of the way when suddenly she, Logan, and Russell heard,  
"Nooo!" Suddenly, and all too quickly, they heard a gun shot. It happened so fast that Logan couldn't understand how it happened. First Russell had Deraj pinned to the ground, and the next thing he knew, Tiffany was shot. Tiffany was shot! It all seemed to register into his mind very quickly, and soon he was bending over Tiffany who was lying on the ground, moving the hair that was now in her face. He looked over and saw that she had been shot in her stomach. Crying he was saying softly over and over again,  
"You're going to be ok Tiffany. You're going to be ok."  
Russell walked over to them, having finished the job with Deraj by knocking him out cold. Logan could feel him looking at them but at this moment he didn't care. He didn't care what would happen to him, as long as Tiffany was going to be ok.  
"Tiffany, Tiffany please… please be ok." He pleaded then heard her grown with agony and saw new tears forming in her eyes. Hope filled his soul as he wrapped her wound then picked her up with great care, and carried her downstairs; but not before he had Russell tie up Deraj and bring him down there with them, telling him that if Deraj woke up just to knock him out again.  
When Logan walked out of the door with Tiffany in his arms her dad nearly flipped.  
"What happened? We heard a gun shot!" Mr. Klacky said,  
"She was shot," he said simply for there was no other way to put it. With tears in his eyes, Mr. Klacky took Tiffany who was now unconscious from pain and put her in his lap, immediately pulling out his cell phone from his pants pocket, and called 911. Then after he had answered all the questions, he carefully sat down on the four-wheeler with Tiffany in his arms and Russell sitting behind him and drove off. Logan and his father right behind them.

Chapter 16

Tiffany awoke to find that it was nighttime outside except she wasn't out under it, in fact she couldn't figure out where she was; until she saw the beeping noise of the heart rate machine, she realized then that she was in a hospital. She looked around the dark room to see that her parents were both asleep on chairs near her, both of them red eyed.  
It took her a while to figure out what had happened; and when it did, the pain settled in. She felt her stomach, feeling the stitches holding it together, fear settling in remembering what had happened how ever long ago it was. Watching her parents sleep she decided it'd be better not to wake them so she took the opportunity to look around the room and upon seeing that the sun was just barely showing its brightness, she was able to notice that there were a couple flowers and card's to go along with them. Confused and frightened a little she spoke her parents' names,  
"Mom, dad?" she croaked, surprisingly enough to herself.  
Her parent's immediately awoke instantly looking to see how she was doing,  
"Tiffany!" her mom cried, "Your ok," Mrs. Klacky picked up her hand and kissed it, caressing it over and over again.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," her voice cackled, "Is there water around?"  
"Yes dear, it's right over here." Her dad quickly announced, "Hold on, let me get it." He stood up out of the over slept in chair, picking up the glass of water next to himself, and rushing by her side; handing the cup to her delicately,  
"Thanks," she whispered, then drank the glass of water; finishing half of it in a few seconds.  
"That's better. Thanks dad," she closed her eyes suddenly feeling very weak. The next thing she knew, she woke up to find that her parents weren't in the room at the moment, but two unexpected visitor's were there, watching her. Feeling self conscious she softly laughed,  
"Long time no see eh?"  
"Yes, it's been quite a while since we've had the chance to talk to you." Logan replied, watching her intently,  
"What do you mean?" she asked,  
"He means that you've been asleep for the past three days and finally woke up this morning around sunrise." Russell answered for Logan, who slightly glared at him.  
"How are you feeling? Is your stomach alright?" Logan pressed,  
"I'm fine. A little sore but fine." The two boys seemed to sigh in relief,  
"That's great Tiffany. We've been so worried." Russell said,  
"Why?"  
"Because you almost died! It was very frightening. Especially when you were on the four-wheeler; it seemed like your dad couldn't stop the bleeding, and when the ambulance finally came… it almost seemed too late. In fact, for a while they tried to convince us that it'd be better if you died. But Logan here wouldn't hear of it, and neither would I or your parents."  
Shock seemed to settle in on Tiffany's heart,  
"I… almost died?"  
Solemnly, Logan answered,  
"Yes, it was one of the most frightening times of my life." Russell rolled his eyes to the cheesy line,  
"We're very glad your ok; the doctor's say that you can leave in about two weeks or less. I was going to stay the whole time, but your parents seem to think that it'd be best if I went back to my family." He quoted the last part with defiance in the words.  
"Yes, that'd probably be best that you went back to your family. Your mom was so worried." Russell couldn't believe his ears, and all Logan did was smirk.  
"I also think…" she paused a few moments, "that you should also go back to your family Logan. I'm sure they are worried about you."  
"Nah, my dad was there with the rescue party. He even took me to the hospital to make sure you'd be ok and bring back a report to them. I've been here practically since as long as you've been here and will be until you are out."  
Tiffany shook her head,  
"No Logan. You need to go back to your family. Tell them I'm fine, really. Same with you Russell, but you won't have to tell them if I'm fine or not unless they ask. Now, no protesting you two,"  
"But—"  
"Tiffany—" the two boys said at the same time,  
"No buts. It's final you two. You both are to return to your families immediately." With that she felt like her strength was zapped, and decided not to talk any longer; soon falling asleep once the boys' were gone.  
She awoke again two days later feeling slightly better. The room was empty though and by how bright it was she guessed it was about mid-day so she just lay there on the bed, and slowly ever so slowly began to cry. All the things that had happened to her over the past few months finally caught up to her, and she could hardly contain what she was feeling now. She thought about the night she was kidnapped… how she felt when she woke up somewhere in the middle of nowhere. How safe she had felt whenever she saw Russell and then… his betrayal. That alone had ruined their relationship, and she figured that to ever like a guy again would be more then she could bear so she decided not to like anyone; but then… along came Logan. Perfect and wonderful in every way and yet… she couldn't like him, she just couldn't. It hurt too much to think of ever having a good relationship; one where the guy didn't hurt the girl, or the other way around. Of course… she never thought this way before she was kidnapped.  
Suddenly the reality of what had happened that exact same night she was kidnapped she cried even harder. How could this have happened to me? She wondered in her haze, teary eyes and blotchy face. She couldn't think of what else she could have done to change things. None of it mattered now though, she had been kidnapped… it happened… and now she was sitting in a hospital with a broken arm and stitches in her side where she had been shot. She winced as she fixed the position on her bed, sniffling as she did so, then sighed and wished things would go back to the way they used to be. Her thoughts of sadness made her want to cry even more which she didn't want to happen just in case her parents came back so she decided to think of the good things to dry her tears.  
Half hour later, when her parents finally arrived back in her room, Tiffany was feeling much happier then she had been before and forcing the smile for her parents wasn't as hard as she thought it would have been.  
"Hey honey. How are you feeling?" her dad asked slightly rubbing her shoulder.  
"I'm feeling a little better then before…" Pause.  
"Well… that's good dear. I'm glad you are feeling a little better. That's always an improvement." Her mother smiled at her.  
"Where are Russell and Logan?" Tiffany asked,  
"Oh, we made Russell go home and wouldn't hear of him staying because his family needs to see him again and Logan, he's still here," the last part her mother said quietly,  
"Why? How come he didn't go home?"  
"Because well… he wanted to make sure you'd be ok the rest of the time your here."  
"I told him to go home."  
"He refused. Russell had a reason to go home. Logan doesn't."  
"Yes he does. His family is at home!"  
"But his family knows where he is! Russell's family didn't!" her father replied back a tad bit sharply; making Tiffany gasp at his sharpness.  
"Dad, Logan has a family to go home too. He needs to be with his family."  
"Well… he also needs to be with the one he loves… right?" her mother asked,  
"True, but the one he loves isn't here."  
"Tiffany! How can you be so blind as to think that?" her mother asked rising her voice a little,  
"Because it's true!" Tiffany said in the exact same tone; then sighed knowing this wasn't gonna get them anywhere.  
"Mom, I don't think Logan's found the one he loves yet…" she whispered although in her heart she wished he loved her and yet… was afraid to admit that he might love her and she back.  
"Honey, he loves you. We know you know that. Why are you pushing him away?"  
"Because… I… don't love him…" her voice trailed off and her parents looked at each other in disbelief.  
"You don't mean that… do you?" her mother asked breathless,  
"Yes… I do." Tiffany answered becoming more confident with it and that ended their conversation. After that, her parents left the room only to have Charley walk in with a bunch of flowers and a card in hands.  
"Logan wanted me to give these to you," she said giggling,  
"Oh he did, did he? Well… tell him thanks for me." Tiffany smiled taking the flowers and not bothering to read the note while Charley was in the room.  
"Aren't you going to read the note?" she asked anxiously,  
"No," Tiffany said smiling, "Why would I do that while you're in the room?"  
"Well gee Sis; glad to know how much you love your sister's Curiosity enough to bother about what she's curious about." She laughed along with Tiffany,  
"Well… I don't wanna be embarrassed just in case he says something embarrassing! Don't worry… I'll share with ya what he said later." She promised to her sister,  
"Ok then, you better keep that promise! Otherwise you owe me ten bucks!"   
Rolling her eyes and smiling Tiffany answered back,  
"Whatever," then suddenly… a knock was at the Hospital door,  
"Come in," Tiffany called and Logan walked in looking a bit awkward while Charley giggled then left repeating one more time to Tiffany with a smile on her face… "Remember, you promised," then left the room leaving the two by themselves.  
"Uh… how's the arm?" Logan asked a little awkwardly,  
"It's doing better. I think its healing fine now, although it still throbs a bit."  
"You should have the doctor's look into that then,"  
"Maybe…" she said then listened to the quietness of the room.  
"What are you still doing here?" she finally asked,  
"Well… I couldn't leave you here while you are still hurt."  
"Logan… I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me anymore—"  
"But that's just it Tiffany! I do have to worry about you because… because I care for you a great deal. In fact I care for you so much that… I love you Tiffany."  
"Logan…"   
"What I need to know is… do you love me?"  
A rush of emotion suddenly splashed Tiffany's chest as she thought about the answer,  
"I… uh…I… don't," she finally managed to get out glancing away, not wanting to see Logan's reaction.  
"Oh…" was all Logan said then he stuttered out,  
"I'm… I'm going to go now…"  
"Ok,"   
"Bye," he said then finally left the room after looking at her one last time.  
As soon as he left, Tiffany felt another urge of tears starting to fill in her eyes. How could I have done that? She wondered he's so nice and kind and he loves me. That's what I wanted to hear from him, but why'd I have to say I didn't love him back? She cried into her sheet covered knee's, all the while being cautious as not to harm her arm any further. She soon fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming of Deraj and his loonies.

Logan had given Charley the flowers with a little note to give to Tiffany in hopes that she would read it and realize how much he loved her. Until he eves dropped on Tiffany and Charley's conversation and realized that he would have to tell her himself in person so walked in only to find them smiling. Although he knew what they had said he kept quiet pretending he didn't hear a word.  
When he found out that Tiffany didn't love him like he loved her, he couldn't find any of the right words to say after that. It had seemed that she felt the same way as he did but…guess not. So here he was in the hospital waiting room, staring at nothing, and thinking of only Tiffany. In all that they had been through he had thought he'd seen the love she had for him in her eyes, he thought that once this was all over they could finally hook up, date for a while, then one day getting married; but now it seemed as if those dreams were a gazillion miles away. He silently closed his eyes trying to hold back the tears but failing miserably and ended up leaving the hospital and sitting on a bench near the doors leading into the big building.  
Why? Why did she have to say no? Everything was going perfectly how come everything is messed up? He couldn't bring himself to say why, and left the questions unanswered in his mind. Standing up he walked to a nearby phone booth and called his parents and said he'd tell them the story on the way home.  
"So… what happened?" his mother asked half an hour later as they were driving home.  
"Well… I told her I loved her with as much sincerity that I could muster and… she said she doesn't love me back," he whispered so low that his mother almost couldn't hear him,  
"What? She said no?"  
No answer,  
"I don't believe it," His mother said again, breaking the silence.   
"I know… I can't believe she doesn't love me either," Logan answered,  
"No, I mean… I don't believe that she doesn't love you."  
"What? Why don't you believe her?"  
"Because, I've seen the way she looks at you and how her eyes glow when she sees you. Well… that is… before she got kidnapped again…"   
"yeah… until she got kidnapped for the last time I think she had loved me… what I don't get is why she doesn't anymore."  
"Well… I don't know if I'm right but, I think she's afraid,"  
"Afraid?"   
"Yes. I think she's afraid to love you,"  
"Why would she be afraid?"  
"Because she already had one person in her life she loved suddenly change his mind, twice! She's afraid of the hurt and pain that comes with that. She doesn't want to go through with that again."  
"But I would never do anything to hurt her. Never!"  
"You may know that but she doesn't."  
"How am I supposed to show her I lover her with all my heart?" his mother just shrugged her shoulder's,  
"I'm not sure how. You'll have to figure that out by yourself." She then winked and they drove into the driveway. Logan never got out but stayed and pondered about the things his mother had said. He couldn't understand why Tiffany would be afraid, he understood that she was hurt but he couldn't understand why she would think he would hurt her like that. He shook his head and finally jumped out of the car, and went into the house and in his room, where he laid on his bed hardly comforted and fell into a troubling sleep.  
The men were after her. He was running as fast as he could but he couldn't reach her. It seemed that as fast as he ran the farther Tiffany got and the closer the men were to catching her. 'Tiffany!' he yelled out, holding out his hand, hearing her scream for his help to stop the men, to get them away from her then… suddenly him and Tiffany were standing in a dark room pitch black with nothing around them but the blackness, and as he stared at her kept saying how much he loved her and wanted to be with her, but she was crying, and began to fade away into the darkness not even waving bye…  
"Nooo!" Logan suddenly sat up in his bed sweating and shaking. He sighed then lay back down on the bed, putting a shaking hand up to his forehead.  
"I've got to do something. I can't just stay here and dwell upon something I don't know for sure. I hope Mom's right… she better be lying otherwise I'll be hurt in the same way, if I'm not already," sighing again he sat up, let the blood start working properly through his body then walked to his bathroom and took a shower to wipe off all the weariness he felt.  
After taking a shower he went downstairs and found out it was nearly bedtime so he hurried and grabbed something to eat then went back upstairs and sat there on his bed for nearly an hour before his eyes became so tired he could hardly keep them open. When he was finally asleep he dreamt of nothing which he was so grateful for.  
In the morning, he awoke to the sounds of cooking downstairs and the smell of eggs filtered through his nose, making his mouth water; but instead of going downstairs and eating he went downstairs, kissed his mother on the cheek then said,  
"I'm going after, and I'm going to find out the truth; to see if you were right mom." She smiled at him,  
"Alright dear; be careful."  
"I will mom," and then he was off. He hurried towards his black shining truck, hopped in and sped to the Hospital; so instead of the normal half an hour it took him only fifteen minutes and feeling lucky no cops were around. After he arrived, he ran to Tiffany's room and opened up the door…  
"Tiffany?" Logan said the feeling of dread coming upon him. The room was empty and the bed was made as if no one had been in the room. He left the room then passed by a doctor and asked about it,  
"I'm sorry, they left yesterday. We transferred them to a hospital down in Utah." After that comment Logan stood their, not able to move a muscle.

Chapter 17 

Logan stood still for that few moments, until he realized that the doctor was walking away from him and on to another patient, so he ran to catch up to the doctor,  
"Wait, how could you have just transferred her? Tiffany had been shot! She needs time to heal without interrupting things." He said a bit breathlessly,  
"Well normally we don't transfer patients, but these people insisted that they be moved back to Utah because that's where they live."  
"Oh I see…" Logan said, "Well… could you tell me what Hospital she was transferred too?"  
"Yes, follow me." He led Logan to the receptionists' desk, and Logan waited for the lady at the desk to come up with Tiffany's file on the slightly old computer.  
"She's been transferred to the Davis Hospital."  
"Thanks!" Logan said quickly and hurried out to his truck.  
The next thing Logan knew, he was parked in front of his "house". Running, he nearly broke the front door off as he collided with his mother,  
"Be careful son. You could put an eye out," she said teasingly, but Logan ignored it,  
"I'm going to find her mom."  
"What?"  
"I know where Tiffany's at! I'm going to look for her!"  
"You can't—"  
"You're saying that I can't go after the love of my life?" he questioned her,  
"Well… no but…"  
"Mom, it's the right thing, I must go find her."  
Sighing, his mother finally gave in,  
"Alright, but your father won't be too happy about it,"  
"That's why I'm leaving now. I'll go upstairs, pack my things and head off to Utah. I'll call you when I get there,"  
"Alright honey. Please be careful!"  
"I will," he kissed his mother on the cheek then ran upstairs to his bedroom and threw a suitcase on the slightly tousled bedspread, and hurdled clothes into it, finally headed to get Tiffany once and for all.

Tiffany woke up to find herself in another hospital bed and her best friend Caiti sitting right next to her.  
"Caiti?" Tiffany spoke quietly.  
"Oh Tiffany! You're awake! I'm so glad, I was so worried." Caiti answered back happily. Tiffany smiled her happiness,  
"I'm glad I'm awake too. Where is everybody?"  
"They went to go get some lunch. Oh Tiffany! It's been so long! You must tell me everything from the very beginning!"  
"Of course I will. Just…not at the moment."  
Caiti laughed,  
"Well of course not right now. You still need time to recuperate. And besides…I'm sure you'll wanna share your story to the world first."  
Confusion set on Tiffany's face,  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Well… there's news people outside. They are all wanting to talk to you and ask you questions. But not before the police talk to you first."   
"Oh great," Tiffany said with exhaustion, "This really stinks."  
"Yeah I bet it does. You'll just have to do your best though right?"  
"Right. They won't get to know everything though. There are just some things I won't share."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yes really. They don't need to know everything." She said defiant to her friend,  
"Will you tell them to me?"  
This time Tiffany got a small smile on her face even through her exhaustion,  
"Oh yes. You will definitely get to hear the stories I don't tell."   
"Oh good," Caiti Smiled, "but it's only if you are able to handle telling me; because if you're uncomfortable with it then you don't have to tell me."  
"Oh don't worry… I will be able to handle telling you them… just not right at this moment," Tiffany said with reassurance until the thought of Logan entered her mind. The smile left her at that moment for Russell entered the room.  
"Hey," he said weakly and Caiti, noticing the tension suddenly in the room, decided she'd leave,  
"Well, I'll just go. Have fun you two and don't do anything I wouldn't do!" she teased then ran out of the room to avoid the small pillow that was suddenly thrown by Tiffany.  
"So… how are you feeling?" Russell asked tentatively,  
"Good," Tiffany replied,  
"That's good." He answered then all was quiet for a few minutes in the room. "So um… are you ready to go back to school?"  
"No,"   
"Me either. It seems like we've been done with school for a long time."   
"Yeah,"  
An awkward silence was between them now, neither knowing what to say until Russell finally got the nerve to speak up.  
"Look, I know we've had it rough and that I was a butt hole down there but… can't we just start over? Can't we date?"  
"Russell… it—"  
"Don't say no… please."  
"It just won't work out between me and you. You have no idea how badly I was hurt! And even if I wanted to give you another chance… how do I know that you won't do what you did down their?"  
"Tiffany… it… I was delusional. I was totally out of my mind. You can't blame me for being that way… can you?"  
"I can Russell. You could control your actions how ever you wanted… but to turn my way… you chose the wrong actions. There are no we between me and you anymore. Maybe before any of this had happened but… it did happen and you did what you did and so now it's over and done with. End of story. No ifs ands or buts. I couldn't… I can't handle being hurt anymore Russell."  
A tear flew down one side of Russell's cheek,  
"Tiffany. I won't ever hurt you again. Please believe me."  
Tiffany's heart burned with a fierce hope that Russell was telling the truth; but every time she thought of them dating a bad feeling dotted her chest and she couldn't escape it.  
"I'm sorry Russell… but there's just no way… no way," she repeated the last time mostly to assure herself.  
"But... but Tiffany you, you… you can't just say no like that you… you gotta give me a chance!"  
"I can't Russell. There's just no possible way," she paused for a moment, "Please… just go."  
Holding back tears, Russell walked the short distance to the door and took one final look at Tiffany, pleading with his eyes for her to change her mind, then left the room, closing the door softly behind him. Holding back tears of her own Tiffany sighed; trying to calm herself down, wondering what was to happen next.  
The next few weeks went by quickly for Tiffany. It seemed to her as if the world was spinning around so fast that she hardly had time to breathe. A ton of news crew and policemen came and investigated her the first two weeks, trying to get interviews with her which made her tire quickly. All the drama was too much and she began to grow bags in her eyes and yawned more then usual; any medicine that was given to her to help her sleep only lasted for so long before she had bags under her eyes again. Finally, the Hospital got a clue and kept the news crews away from her so that she could rest more then she had been resting (even though the doctor's gave her plenty of rest, she still ended up always tired).  
So, to end the tyrant of news crews and policemen, Tiffany's parents locked her door and waited until all was quiet outside. Of course, the news crews were tricky and stayed in the waiting room until the door was unlocked and suddenly would reappear again at the door. Finally, the nurses made everyone leave to let Tiffany recuperate which Tiffany was very grateful for; but ended up not really noticing the last few days because they gave her medicine to make her sleep and basically the only time she was awake was when they were giving her food.  
Being so delirious and not able to focus very much, there was a point when Tiffany thought she was dreaming. In fact, she was sure of it. She was looking at the wall, feeling incredibly bored when a knock came at the door; she weakly replied for the person to come in and then gasped when she saw who it was. It was as if her eyes were failing her, because she had to keep rubbing them in order to see if her vision was clear. Standing in the doorway was Logan, perfect Logan. Staring at her with such… Love? Is that what she saw? She wasn't quite sure but, all she knew was that he stood there for what seemed like forever, then he smiled and slowly had walked over towards her.   
Sitting beside the bed, he stared at her intently, not talking for the longest time, and when he did speak it felt like music to her ears,  
"Tiffany. I am so glad I found you!" he seemed to be choking back tears,  
"Yes Logan. I am so glad you did too." She couldn't figure out why she was saying what she was saying, but she figured she was saying this stuff because of the delirium,  
"I don't know what I would have done if I didn't find you Tiffany. I can't even bare the thought of it."  
"I know Logan, I know." Tiffany answered softly, tears prickling at her own eyes. She reached out with her left hand to try and touch his, but when she couldn't reach it she had started to pull back, Logan instinctively brought his hands to her hand.  
"Tiffany, I know I've said this before, but I have to tell you again…" Logan paused a little trying to hold back his emotion, "I love you Tiffany. I always will; no matter what,"  
Tiffany smiled at the comment, feeling content, loving the way he touched her so gently then softly she replied,  
"I love you too Logan," then she closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them up again, he was gone. She smiled to herself, wondering what it would be like if that dream was real; but she couldn't fathom that Logan would come after her again, not after she had left once and practically crushed his heart. So she decided she'd forget the dream, and get back with what was happening here and now.  
It wasn't as easy as she thought though. During the times when she was awake, she'd see his smiling face looking at her, and every time she did that, she melted. Her heart pounded so hard, that the fierceness of it surprised her; not to mention made her weary of what she had done. Then something unexpected happened, it happened when she was talking to her parents about her dream,  
"It was the most wonderful dream I'd ever had. Logan had come and visited me, and told me he loved me and… oh it was just wonderful." Her parents had given each other glances before her mother spoke to her,  
"But honey, that wasn't a dream. Logan really did come and visit you." A small gasp escaped her mouth just like in her dream, but this time it was real… that is it seemed real; until she woke up.  
She nearly screamed at the process of going through two dreams at once and not even realizing they were just dreams. She rubbed her eyes furiously, wishing she could go back into dream world when she heard someone say her name,  
"Hello Tiffany,"

Logan was sitting in a corner, watching Tiffany sleep, memorizing every feature of her face. She looked distressed, as if she wanted to cry out but couldn't, then he noticed that she must be awake because she began to rub her eyes, so, instead of scaring her out of her wits, he decided he'd better speak up before she saw him and freak out.  
"Hello Tiffany," he said to grab her attention. She jerked her head in his direction and he smiled softly at her,  
"Logan?" Tiffany asked, blinking her eyes,  
"Yes, it's me Logan."  
"But… but how? How are you here? Why are you here?"  
"Don't you remember?" he asked, wondering if she was too delirious earlier, "Don't you remember our last conversation?"  
"Um… no," she answered, confirming his unasked question,  
"I see. Well no matter then, it doesn't really matter. I just had to come back here to see you. I needed to see your face again."  
"Logan I… don't know what to say,"  
He laughed,  
"That's ok. I just thought I'd better speak to you before you yelled because you thought I was some random person watching you,"  
"I see," she said slowly. He watched her intently, trying to memorize her face, coming to a conclusion he thought he'd never do in his life time but suddenly knew it needed to be done,  
"Tiffany, I uh… I have something to tell you."  
"What is it?" she asked him tiredly, her eyes half-way closed. Logan cleared his throat then began to speak again,  
"Well, I have come to a conclusion that I think you will be happy for. I've decided to leave you some space so… I'm leaving off to College… in New York City…but only if I make it," he mumbled the last part and his voice trailed off as he saw her expression,  
"You're… leaving? For good?"  
"Well now, I don't think it will be for good but, it'll be long enough just so that you will be able to settle things in your heart. I want you to know though that I'm going to start taking the missionary discussions. I've thought about it a great deal and want to know more about it. Not only for your sake though, I'll have you know."  
"That's good," she said, yawning largely,  
"Well I see that you are tired Tiffany, so I will go now. I just thought I'd tell you to know what I'm going to do, so you won't worry whether I'll be suddenly showing up at your doorstep demanding anything of you." He watched her a moment, and upon noticing she was peacefully sleeping, he went to her, then bent down and kissed her forehead for a full five seconds, then stood up straight again and walked out of the room.  
Closing the door softly behind him, Logan struggled to keep the tears away but let one slip down his left cheek. He slowly walked down through the hospital, and out into the car parking lot not noticing anything going on around him, until he heard someone calling his name,  
"Logan? Is that you?" the familiar voice called out. He turned around,  
"Mrs. Klacky? When did you see me?"  
"Just barely."  
"I see. Why did you follow me?"  
"I, well… I just wanted to tell you something."  
"Ok, go for it," Logan said mildly,  
"I wanted to let you know that Tiffany really does love you. Even if she may say she doesn't… she really does. Don't give up on her yet Logan,"  
He smiled at her then replied back,  
"I know she loves me. She said it herself to me when I was talking with her last time, but, I've decided to stay out of her life until she's ready for me. She doesn't seem to want me to stay here with her so I'm going back where I live."  
"Where is it that you live?"  
"I will not say that right now. But in time I'll send Tiffany a letter… that is, if I can have your address." Logan pressed,  
"Oh sure," Mrs. Klacky responded then hurriedly grabbed a pen and a paper from a notebook in her purse and quickly wrote down the address of their home.  
"There you go, Logan," she said sadly handing him the piece of paper. He took it then stuffed the paper in the front right pocket, grabbed Mrs. Klacky's hand; kissed it, then turned around and walked the rest of the way to his black shining truck, leaving a stunned Mrs. Klacky standing where he left her.

Chapter 18

For the next few months, Tiffany had the hardest time adjusting to everything. She felt this loss in her heart that she knew no one could fill except for him. She couldn't even say his name anymore without the tears forming in her eyes, so she reverberated to the word "him" for a purpose. She shook her head, knowing thoughts of him were coming on and knew she did not want that to happen; so instead she concentrated on the homework in front of her.

She was sitting in the kitchen on the black stained chair that sat in front of the black stained table, trying to figure out how to do a stupid math problem when suddenly her sister Charley came in with a sly grin on her face and a letter in her hand.

"What's that?" Tiffany asked with thin eyes, Charley giggle,

"Oh nothing; just a letter from... Logan!"

Tiffany instantly grabbed for it and just stared at it, there in her hands. Shaking, she slowly ripped it open and began to read the letter that had an odd, but yummy, smell to it. The letter read:

My Dear Beloved Tiffany,

I'm sure you are wondering what exactly happened to me; and I'm most certain that your mother told you where I was hoping to head. Well. I made it into that school I was hoping to get into, so I am dwelling there for now. My plans for school are well thought out, though I won't share them with you for the moment.

I am sure you are wondering about the smell that's on this envelope. Well, I was walking along the school grounds and saw the most beautiful flower that reminded me of you. That flower was a lilac. So I decided, since it reminded me so much of you, I would put the smell on the envelope. It will never begin to show the beauty that I see in you; because you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen Whenever I think of you and all the stuff you did, I laugh. What am I laughing at you wonder? Well… let's just say it had to do with a high quality punch. ;) I'm sure that you are laughing now, and I can just imagine that laugh of yours; of course your real laugh is much better but, for now, imagination will have to work.

At this very moment I imagine you and I, walking along in the park, hand in hand. It's a wonderful image. Though, I know you get distraught when I talk about things like this so, I will write you another time, another hour, another continuum. Until we speak again my love, I will always be thinking of you; forever and beyond.

Love,

Logan

Tiffany sighed happily after finishing the letter, letting her laughter die down. He had written her! After all these long months he finally wrote! The excitement she felt was so hot that she thought she would explode. She read it again and the excitement she felt died down a bit. He didn't tell her exactly what school he was in or what city it was at and for some reason, he thought she didn't want to see him again or think of them being together. He didn't even put a return address. Tiffany sighed again, heading back to her room and put the letter back in the envelope; took out one of the shoe boxes from her room that had things that reminded her of Logan and set the letter in it. She ran her fingers over the letter delicately then put the shoe box away on a shelf in her closet.

Walking back into the kitchen I noticed my mother doing some cleaning.

"Can I help?" I asked. She smiled,

"Of course honey. Will you sweep the floor for me?"

I nodded,

"Sure."


End file.
